SLIPPERY ROCK, Pa. - The Bloomsburg volleyball team opened action at the Slippery Rock Invite on Friday with a victory in straight sets over Roberts Wesleyan.
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The Huskies (5-3) made several key adjustments throughout their match against the Redhawks (2-6), never blinking in the face of adversity en route to the win. Bloomsburg was led offensively on the night by its newcomers.
Abigail Eagler (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim) finished with game highs of 10 kills and 13 points, adding three service aces into the scoring repertoire.
Lena Jones (Middletown, Pa./Middletown Area) ended the match with seven kills while hitting .417. The attack was orchestrated by
Sara Kokolus (Bethlehem, Pa./Freedom Area), who notched 25 assists with a pair of aces. Last but not least,
Charlie Mann (Chardon, Ohio/Notre Dame Cathedral Latin) added a match-best and career-high four aces.
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Katie Kuehl (Aston, Pa./Archmere Academy (Del.)) and
Sophie Wales (Port Matilda, Pa./State College) added the veteran assistance needed to secure the victory, with Kuehl contributing nine kills and recording a career-best 10 kills. Wales hit .714 on the night for five kills.
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How It Happened:
Bloomsburg got off to a sluggish start with several self-inflicted errors leading to an early 8-3 deficit following a pair of service aces for the Redhawks. As the Huskies attempted to chip away, they were met with resistance from Roberts Wesleyan, trailing 19-12 before a timeout. The stoppage in play took the Redhawks out of their rhythm and gave Bloomsburg some time to catch their breath. The Huskies benefited from a 7-1 run riddled with their opponents' errors, with kills by
Abigail Eagler (Greencastle, Pa./Greencastle-Antrim) and Wales helping Bloomsburg trail by one at 20-19.
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Roberts Wesleyan managed to get back into the scoring column, but two kills by Eagler in a 3-0 run from the Huskies saw the Maroon & Gold grab their first lead, 22-21, since being up 2-1 in the early goings of the opening set. With a strong start proving pivotal, the two sides went back and forth, trading sideouts down the stretch of the set. A kill from Kuehl gave Bloomsburg its second set point of the frame, and the Huskies would take hold of an early 1-0 lead in the match.
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The second set would once again see the Huskies find themselves in a chasing position, looking at a 6-3 hole through the first nine points. Bloomsburg pulled itself back into form, taking a 10-9 advantage with help from Kuehl and Wales offensively. The teams once again traded sideouts for a stretch of play, eventually being broken up by
Julia Holmes (Elkton, Md./Bohemia Manor) with an ace from the service line. A strong service run from Mann, featuring her first two career aces, helped the Huskies build a 23-17 cushion. Roberts hoped to mount a comeback effort reminiscent of Bloomsburg's earlier efforts, but a kill by Jones and a set-ending service error put Bloomsburg up 2-0.
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The Huskies got off to a better start in the third set with a 7-4 lead off the back of six combined kills from four different players. That lead would only last for the next few points as a 5-0 run by the Redhawks put them out in front, 9-7. As Bloomsburg reeled itself back to even with Roberts Wesleyan, the two sides continued to test one another with each passing point. A quick 3-0 run to take a 15-13 advantage for the Huskies drew an early timeout call to quell a substantial swing in momentum. The Redhawks made numerous successful efforts to stay within striking distance before first-years Eagler and Kokolus put Bloomsburg up by the desired two-point margin, 23-21. Eagler would wrap up the match in straight sets for the Huskies with an ace to make it back-to-back seasons with the same result over Roberts.
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On the Horizon:
The Huskies finish with two games at the Slippery Rock Invite, first taking on Frostburg State at 10:00 a.m. before wrapping up with hosts Slippery Rock at 5:30 p.m.
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