Sept. 13, 2007

LEWISBURG, Pa. - The Bison will play their first home matches of the 2007 season this Friday and Saturday, Sept. 14-15, as the squad will play host to the 26th annual Bucknell Volleyball Invitational. Entering the weekend, the Bison hold a record of 5-5 and will take on Radford at 8 p.m. on Friday before facing Saint Francis (Pa.) and Stony Brook on Saturday at 12 p.m. and 4:30 p.m., respectively.

BISON VOLLEYBALL NOTEBOOK

About the Bison
- Senior Jenna Henderson (Elk Grove, Calif./Laguna Creek) currently paces Bucknell with an average of 4.83 kills per game and has a team-best hitting percentage of .281. Henderson was named Bison Athlete of the Week and Patriot League Baden Player of the Week this past Monday after averaging 5.20 kills per game, 3.07 digs per game and hitting .361 last week. It marked the third time in her career she had earned each award. She also was recognized by the ECAC as the organization's Volleyball Player of the Week, an honor that was announced earlier today.
- Freshman Heidi Kamp (Springfield, Ore./Henry D. Sheldon) has a team-high in blocks per game (0.57), while junior Emilie Hardinge (Darien, Conn./Darien) leads the team in service aces with 17 for an average of 0.49 per game.
- Freshman Jocelyn VanOpdorp (Williamsville, N.Y./Williamsville) has a team-best average of 3.24 digs per game. She posted a season high with 20 at Cornell on Sept. 7.
- Junior setter Shannon Pitsch (Oak Brook, Ill./Fenwick) is averaging 11.37 assists per game to lead the Bison.

The Bucknell Invitational
- Bucknell has hosted an invitational tournament every year since 1982 and holds an all-time record of 53-44 (.546) in the event. Last season, the Bison defeated Wagner and La Salle both by 3-0 margins and fell to Princeton, 3-0.
- 2007 Bucknell Invitational Schedule: 9/14, Stony Brook vs. Saint Francis (Pa.), 6 p.m.; 9/14, Bucknell vs. Radford, 8 p.m.; 9/15, Radford vs. Saint Francis (Pa.), 10 a.m.; 9/15, Bucknell vs. Saint Francis (Pa.), 12 p.m.; 9/15, Stony Brook vs. Radford, 2 p.m.; 9/15, Bucknell vs. Stony Brook, 4:30 p.m.

Scouting the Radford Highlanders
- Friday's 8 p.m. match will mark Bucknell's first meeting with the Radford Highlanders who are currently 2-9 on the year with wins over North Carolina A&T (3-0) and Wofford (3-0) to their credit.
- Lindsey Poole paces the offense for the Highlanders with 2.57 kills per game.
- Setters Josie Hanners and Kiley Kent hold averages of 6.46 and 3.21 assists per game, respectively. They are the top two servers for Radford as well. Kent averages 0.47 service aces per game and Hanners follows at 0.46 sa/gm.
- Heidi Haubrich leads the squad with 0.97 blocks per game and Ginny Dolan has posted 4.19 digs per game.

Scouting the Saint Francis (Pa.) Red Flash
- Bucknell will take on Saint Francis (Pa.) on Saturday a noon and holds an all-time record of 27-5 in the series since the teams first met in 1981. The Bison took the last meeting between the squads in Davis Gym by a 3-1 score on Oct. 10, 2006.
- The Red Flash are currently 1-7 on the season with a win over La Salle (3-0).
- The statistical leaders for Saint Francis going into this weekend's action are: Kristin Buter (2.81 k/gm, 0.48 sa/gm), Alexa Ebert (5.77 a/gm), Keshia Gibbs (0.75 b/gm) and Shirley Miller (2.45 d/gm).

Scouting the Stony Brook Seawolves
- The Bison will play Stony Brook at 4:30 p.m. on Saturday, their final match of the weekend.
- In the all-time series, which began in 2000, the Seawolves hold a 4-0 advantage over Bucknell.
- Stony Brook enters the weekend at 5-6 on the year, recording wins over Buffalo (3-0), Baylor (3-2), Cal State Fullerton (3-2), Fairfield (3-0) and Penn (3-2).
- Statistically, the Seawolves are led by: Jackie Ahlers (4.95 k/gm), Morgan Sweany (4.33 k/gm, 0.43 sa/gm, 3.02 d/gm), Kaitlyn Deutsch (11.76 a/gm), Noelle Bay (4.21 d/gm) and Ashley Headen (0.87 b/gm).

At the Air Force Invitational
- The Bison opened up at the Air Force Invitational in USAF Academy, Colo., on Aug. 24-25, going 1-2 on the weekend with a win over Chicago State. Shannon Pitsch represented Bucknell on the Air Force Invitational All-Tournament Team after averaging 10.44 assists per game and 0.44 service aces per game over the three matches.

At the Duquesne/Robert Morris Courtyard by Marriott Invitational
- The Bison came away from the Duquesne/Robert Morris Tournament with a 2-1 record on the weekend, posting 3-0 wins over Robert Morris and UNC Greensboro and falling to Duquesne, 3-2. Henderson was named to the Courtyard by Marriott Duquesne/RMU Invitational All-Tournament Team. Hardinge set a new career high with five aces at Duquesne, sophomore Jennifer Rupp (Manhattan Beach, Calif./Mira Costa) posted a new career best with 22 digs in the same match. Henderson, senior Tessa Mendez (Denver, Colo./Colorado Academy) and Pitsch all matched their career highs in kills versus the Dukes with totals of 23, eight and seven, respectively.

At the Cornell Invitational
- Bucknell went 1-2 at the Cornell Invitational last weekend, posting a 3-0 win against Niagara, but falling to Cornell and Siena by 3-1 margins. Hardinge set a new career high in hitting percentage in the victory over the Purple Eagles (.462, 16-4-26) and was named to the all-tournament team. Freshmen Kaitlin Segal (Pacific Palisades, Calif./Laguna Creek) and Kelsey Lisle (Marriottsville, Md./Seton Keough) both enjoyed breakout weekends. Segal hit .588 with 10 kills (10-0-17) against Niagara and posted her first career double-double versus Siena with 11 kills and 11 digs. Lisle had 10 kills in Bucknell's match against Cornell and closed out the weekend with 22 digs versus Siena.

Bison Milestones
- Cindy Opalski coached in her 500th match as head coach of the Bison on Sept. 1 at Duquesne. Then when Bucknell topped Morgan State, 3-1, on Sept. 5, it gave Opalski her 350th career victory. She is currently 351-273 in 21 seasons as a head coach.
- Henderson tallied her 1,000th career kill in game three of Bucknell's match at Air Force on Sept. 25. She now ranks fifth in Bison history with 1140 and needs just seven to pass Emily Pomeroy for fourth on the list.
- Pitsch is fourth on Bucknell's career assist list with 2,189. She needs 382 to pass Breean Trapasso for third in the record books.

2007 Awards and Honors
- Damon's Bison Athlete of the Week - Jenna Henderson (9/10/07)
- Patriot League Player of the Week - Jenna Henderson (9/10/07)
- ECAC Volleyball Player of the Week - Jenna Henderson (9/13/07)
- Patriot League Honorable Mention - Jenna Henderson (8/27/07 & 9/4/07)
- All Tournament Teams - Shannon Pitsch (Air Force Invitational), Jenna Henderson (Courtyard by Marriott Duquesne/RMU Invitational), Emilie Hardinge (Cornell Invitational)

Up Next
- Bucknell will continue its homestand with a midweek match against Maryland-Eastern Shore on Tuesday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. in Davis Gym.