Oct. 1, 2010
Box Score | Photo Gallery 
EASTON, Pa. - Junior Alana Taylor posted the match high with 12 kills, and her classmate Christy Mebust led all players with 14 digs, but the Lafayette volleyball team fell to visiting Bucknell on Friday night by a score of 3-0 (25-14, 25-15, 33-31). The match marked the Leopards' annual "Dig Pink" event in recognition of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.
Lafayette falls to 4-12 overall and 0-3 in Patriot League play. The Bison improve to 4-11 overall and 2-1 in league action.
The Leopards were joined by a special guest on the sidelines, as David Heard served as a special assistant coach. Heard, who is a student at Easton Area Middle School, is currently battling neuroblastoma.
Taylor's 12 kills came courtesy of a scorching .474 hitting percentage. The junior also led all players with five total blocks (one solo). The Lafayette offense also got a boost from senior co-captain, who notched eight kills. Sophomore Alexandra Russo had five finishers, senior co-captain Katrina Racibarskas tallied three and three Leopards rounded out the attack with one kill apiece.
Sophomore Molly Belcher ran the offense, piling up a match-best 28 assists in addition to seven digs. Mebust's 14 digs paced the back row, while freshman libero Mackenzie Larsen chipped in 12 digs.
Bucknell jumped out a big early lead in set one, as the Bison recorded the first eight points of the set and never looked back. The Leopards would fight off four set-point chances in the frame, but the margin, which grew as large as 14 points, proved insurmountable as the visitors gained an early edge in the match with a 25-14 victory.
Another early deficit doomed the Leopards in the second set, as Lafayette already trailed 13-5 before ever stringing consecutive points together. The Maroon and White would cut the lead down to five - and once again fought off a set point - but the Bison claimed set two comfortably by a 25-15 mark.
An early 5-0 run for the Bison would not be as damaging in set three, as a 6-1 Lafayette run soon put the Leopards on top at 9-8. The frame stayed within two points from that point forward, and the score was soon deadlocked at 21-21. Lafayette won the next three rallies to claim a set-point chance, but Bucknell fought off three straight set points to knot the score at 24-24. Lafayette was unable to put the set away on four more set-point tries, and soon it was the Bison serving for the match leading 30-29. The Leopards thwarted two match-point opportunities, but the visitors cashed in on their third to complete the sweep with a marathon 33-31 win.
Bucknell was led by eight kills and 12 digs from Katie Baumgarten. Rachel Rodriguez and Kat Tauscher shared the setting duties and finished with 15 and 12 assists, respectively.
The Leopards are back in action tomorrow, as Patriot League foe Colgate visits Kirby Sports Center for a 4 p.m. contest. The Raiders edged Lehigh in five sets tonight to improve to 9-7 overall and 2-1 in the Patriot League.
