BOX SCORE

HAMILTON, N.Y. (10/30/10) – In the biggest Patriot League match of the weekend, the Colgate women's volleyball team came out on top by a 3-1 (17-25, 25-15, 25-17, 25-18) score against Bucknell on Saturday afternoon.

Colgate (13-11, 6-4 PL) is now tied with the Bison in the league standings in third position with two weeks remaining in the regular season. Senior captain Logan Keala (Kaneohe, Hawaii) had her biggest match of the season with a game-high 17 kills and added 10 digs. She also provided three service aces. Rookie Lindsay Young (Tampa, Fla.) continues to impress with 14 strikes and two assisted blocks.

Junior Blaire Safir (Oakland, Calif.) had 25 assists, while rookie Kaylee Fifer (Lantana, Texas) chipped in with 21 of her own. Senior captain Devon Applegate (Davidson, N.C.) posted 16 digs and was the leader on the backline all night.

“This was a complete team win,” stated head coach Ryan Baker. “Our pass was there which allowed our setters to make the right choices. Everyone contributed and I am proud of the effort.”

Bucknell (8-14, 6-4 PL) struggled after dominating the first set. The Bison had 38 kills and 23 errors on 126 attacks. Heidi Kamp led the way with 12 kills and a hitting percentage of .429. Leylin Marroquin added 11 digs, while Rachel Rodriguez had 19 assists in the loss.

After the Bison took the first set by a 25-17 margin, the Raiders fired back with an impressive 25-15 dominant performance in the second set. They jumped out to an early 10-4 lead with kills from junior Kaylee Dougherty (Landisville, Pa.) and Safir, while also getting a service ace from rookie Lexi Finger (Homer Glen, Ill.). The lead got up to eight points, but Colgate never allowed the Bison to cut the lead to less than six. Keala finished the set with five kills and Dougherty had three in the 25-15 win.

The second set was more of the same with the Raiders earning an early lead and they did not give Bucknell a chance to fight back. Keala started the game out with back-to-back service aces. The lead grew to 10-6 on two-straight kills by senior captain Casey Ritt (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Dougherty. Bucknell climbed back in the game at 10-9 with three straight points on two Colgate attack errors and a kill from Rodriguez. That was the closest the Bison got as the Raiders went on a 9-6 run to open up a 19-15 lead. This time Bucknell shoot itself in the foot with countless errors during the run. The match was closed out with a service ace by Applegate which was the fourth of the set for the Raiders in a 25-17 win.

The fourth set was the most competitive of the four with neither team earning more than a two-point until the Raiders had an 18-15 lead. Once again the Raiders put the clamps on the lead and never gave it up down the stretch. They closed the game on a 10-3 run after being tied 15-15. Young had her best set of the season with seven kills and just one error, while Keala ended up with six in the set. The Raiders won the set by a 25-18 margin.

“Logan and Lindsay put the ball down all night,” said Baker. “It was fun to see them rise to the occasion.”

The Raiders will be back at Cotterell Court next Friday night as they take on Lafayette at 7 p.m.