LEWISBURG, Pa. - Junior MB Amanda Rowell led the Army volleyball team with 12 kills, while senior OH Rachel Dunn and freshman RS Francine Vasquez added 11 kills each to lead the Black Knights kicked off Patriot League play with a 3-1 win at Bucknell on Friday night at Davis Gym.
Army won each of the first sets by 25-18 scores before Bucknell stole a 26-24 victory in the third set, forcing a fourth session in which the Black Knights manufactured a decisive 25-15 win to take the match.
"We played hard, but give Bucknell credit for giving us everything that they had tonight," said third-year head coach Alma Kovaci. "Mandie (Rowell) was our warrior tonight. She played great and was huge in this win. We got out of there with a 'W' tonight and that is all that matters. This team just keeps finding a way to win."
Army's (13-3, 1-0 PL) three players reaching double figures in kills were the only players in the match, as Bucknell's (4-9, 0-1 PL) Ragin Jackson and Kaitlin Segal led the Bison with eight kills apiece. Anchored by four players in the double-figure digs category, the Black Knights held Bucknell to a .043 percentage on the night. Senior S Maureen Bannon paced Army with 16 digs and completed her ninth double-double of the year with 41 assists. Sophomore L Liberty McEntee (15 digs), Dunn (12) and freshman OH Ariana Mankus (11) also reached double figures in digs.
Rowell (.364) led an Army offense that hit for a .162 percentage. Rowell and Vasquez paced the Black Knights with four total blocks each.
Clinging to a 13-12 lead in the first set, Army out-scored the Bison by a 12-4 margin down the stretch to secure the victory. Rowell, Vasquez and Dunn each registered kills during that pivotal stretch to key Army in the victory.
The Black Knights continued to cruise in the second set, maintaining the momentum throughout. The teams did trade points during the first half of action, as an Army error allowed Bucknell to pull within one (13-12) midway through. Again, the Balck Knights relied on a late run in order to pull out set. From that midway point, Army finished the frame riding a 12-6 run to take a 2-0 lead in the match. Army scored the final four points unanswered, including kills from Vasquez and Mankus, along with a service ace from sophomore OH Rachal Yanker.
Bucknell came out of the intermission on a mission, doubling up the Black Knights by a 10-5 score. Army kept things close, however, staying within three points during the home stretch. Sophomore MB Rachel Willis teamed with Vasquez for a block assist that leveled the score at 24-all late in the set. An Army error and Bucknell kill forced a fourth set, as the Bison collected a 26-24 victory.
The fourth set opened with a fairly competitive nature, as the score remained tied at 11-11 on a Bucknell kill. Army scored two of the next three points on kills from Vasquez and Mankus, which ignited an overall 14-4 run that secured a 25-15 win for the Black Knights. Army hit for a .211 percentage in the fourth, while the Bison struggled with a -.035 mark.
Patriot League play continues for both teams on Saturday, as Army heads to Colgate for a 4 p.m. match in Hamilton, N.Y. The Saturday matinee at Cotterell Court will serve as a rematch of last year's Patriot League Tournament semifinal match between Army and Colgate in which the Raiders eliminated the Black Knights (3-0) from the postseason.
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