BLOOMSBURG, Pa. - The Bloomsburg could not hold on to an early lead in an eventual five-set defeat to Shippensburg at Nelson Field House on Saturday.
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The Huskies (8-10, 1-7 PSAC East) put themselves in a position for success by claiming the first two sets of the match. The Raiders (13-7, 4-3 PSAC East) did not go down without a fight, rallying to take the next two sets to force a winner-take-all conclusion. Despite Bloomsburg managing to go up 11-8, the wind from the team's sail was taken with a 5-0 run, giving Shippensburg the cushion it needed as the teams traded sideouts to a 15-13 score in favor of the visitors.
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Katie Kuehl (Aston, Pa./Archmere Academy (Del.)) and
Sasha Moody (Abington, PA/Abington Senior) led the way offensively for the Huskies, with the pair each finishing the day with 15 kills. Defensively,
Lydia Worthing (Tyrone, Pa./Bellwood Antis) led the team with six blocks, totaling two solo and four assist stops.
Emily Gustie (Crofton, Md./Crofton) and
Sara Kokolus (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom Area) were both active in keeping the ball alive for Bloomsburg, as both players exceeded 20 digs. Kokolus finished with a double-double, as her career-high 21 digs paired with her 45 assists.
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How It Happened:
The Huskies began the day trailing for the first half of the opening set. Down 14-15, Bloomsburg claimed its first lead in the frame, eventually going up 17-15. The sides jockeyed for any advantage they could find, trading eight consecutive sideouts with the score tied at 22-22. After Shippensburg found itself with a small one-point advantage, the Huskies clinched the set off a 3-0 run, with kills from Moody and Kuehl.
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Bloomsburg carried the momentum over into the second set to extend its lead in the match. The Huskies found a groove in the frame with four consecutive kills, as Kuehl,
Sophie Wales (Port Matilda, Pa./State College), and
Lena Jones (Middletown, Pa./Middletown Area) got their team rolling. The Huskies eventually broke the set open with a 5-0 run to go up 20-15. The Raiders cut into Bloomsburg's lead in small pieces, but there was not enough of a cushion to take the second set from the home side.
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Shippensburg regained its footing in the match by jumping out to a 10-4 advantage to begin the third set. The Raiders' lead eventually grew to as much as eight in the set, but that large of a gap would not stand for long. With the visitors two points away from taking a set back, Kuehl pulled her team within three points twice before Shippensburg fired home the set point.
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The Huskies sought to keep the Raiders stuck in their place, but Shippensburg had a head full of steam to tie the match. Tied at 6-6 in the fourth set, the Raiders rattled off a 5-0 run to give the visitors a cushion. Bloomsburg was able to cut the deficit to two on several occasions, but Shippensburg did what was needed to take the fourth set, 25-19.
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In the fifth set, the Huskies looked to have swung the momentum in their favor, as a pair of kills from Moody helped Bloomsburg hold an 11-8 advantage in the closing stages of the match. The Raiders had the answer, though, as a 6-1 stretch not only eliminated the Huskies' lead, but put Shippensburg in the driver's seat with match point. Bloomsburg hung on for one point off a service error but could not keep the match alive on the next point.
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On the Horizon:
The Huskies are back in action on Friday, October 16, at 6:00 p.m. to take on Shepherd.
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