BROOKLYN HEIGHTS, NY—Bucknell topped NJIT for the second time this season, 3-1, in close sets to conclude the 2018 Terrier Invitational hosted by St. Francis Brooklyn at the Genovesi Center.
Bucknell moves to 4-2 on the season while the Highlanders, who picked up its first win of the 2018 season against Delaware State Saturday morning, fall to 1-5 on the young season.
Saturday marked the second time the two teams met this season. The Bison topped the Highlanders, 3-0, in the season opener at the Bucknell Invitational.
NJIT took the first set of the match, 25-21, but the Bison rallied back in the next three frames – 25-23, 25-18 and 26-24 to earn the win.
Freshman
Udo Nwosu led the Highlanders offensively, notching a match-best 15 kills while senior
Jovana Baosic added 10 kills.
Emily Krachenfels and
Makayla Greenfield posted eight and seven kills respectively.
Setter
Liz Benson just missed combining for a double-double, tallying a match-best 34 assists and nine digs to go along with four total blocks (one solo, three assists).
Three Highlanders reached double-digits in the digs category, paced by senior libero
Adriana Nieto with 19 followed by Krachenfels (16) and
Olivia Welsch (10). Nieto, who combined for 67 digs (6.90) in the last three matches, was named to the 2018 Terrier Invitational All-Tournament team.
Krachenfels and
Alahna Diaz combined for seven service aces as the Highlanders held a 9-0 advantage in that category.
Bucknell had two players reach double-figures, paced by Sophie Holland's double-double of 13 kills and 12 digs followed by Bridgette Holland with 12 digs.
Alexa Bonanno and Selby Schnobrich split time at the setting position, piling up 27 and 12 assists respectively.
Defensively, the Bison were led by Blake Buchholz and Victoria Sottani who recorded 13 digs each and Bonanno and Sophie Holland with 11.
In front of the net, Bridgette Holland and Mimi Richards posted seven total blocks (one solo, six assists) for Bucknell.
In the first set, which was played close throughout, saw the Highlanders jump ahead in the mid-teens, 16-13, after three straight points. The two teams traded points but the Highlanders held a three point advantage after a 3-0 spurt, pulling NJIT ahead, 22-19. NJIT closed out the set on a 3-1 run to secure a 25-21 victory.
The Highlander momentum moved into the second set, which saw four ties and one lead change. In the late teens, NJIT fought back, down 13-17, scoring four straight points, knotting the frame at 17-all. Bucknell answered with three consecutive points for a 20-17 lead and went ahead 23-19, resulting in a Highlander timeout. NJIT pulled within one point of the Bison on two occasions late, 23-22 and 24-23 but Bucknell's Blake Buchholz's kill sealed the set, 25-23.
Bucknell hit .267 in the third set as opposed to the Highlanders -.098, cruising to a 25-18 victory.
In the final frame, Bucknell jumped out to an early 13-8 advantage. NJIT battled its way back into the set, closing the Bison gap to within two, 17-15, after three straight points. Bucknell pushed ahead and scored four straight, taking a 22-18 lead, resulting in an NJIT timeout. The Highlanders down but not out, used a 5-2 run to pull within one, 24-23, and later tied the set at 24 on a Bison attacking error. Bucknell scored the final two points to close out the set, 26-24, and went on to win 3-1.
NJIT will return to action on September 4 at 7pm when the Highlanders host the first-ever women's volleyball match inside the Wellness and Events Center against Lehigh.
