Courtesy of MAC Sport Information Departments
Buffalo 2, Colgate 3
Box Score
The University at Buffalo volleyball team fell in the final match of the UB Invite on Sunday as Colgate came back to claim a 3-2 victory at Alumni Arena.
The Raiders took the contest 23-25, 28-26, 15-25, 25-22, 15-12 as Colgate narrowly outhit the Bulls, .287 to .276.
The Bulls trailed 10-7 early in the first when they went on an 8-3 run, capped off by a Paige Beck service ace to take at 15-13 lead. A kill by senior Polina Prokudina extended the advantage to 21-18 and Buffalo would eventually go up 24-20. However, Colgate scored three straight pull back within one, but a Colgate service error ended the first set in Buffalo's favor.
The Raiders went ahead 17-13 in the second only to see the Bulls charge back and actually take a 22-21 lead on a kill from senior Rachel Sanks. A kill from Prokudina gave UB the set point at 25-24, but Colgate responded with two straight. Buffalo fought off a set point of its own before the Raiders took the set, 28-26.
Buffalo dominated the third set, hitting .481 as the Bulls has 14 kills and just one error. It began quickly as redshirt sophomore Monika Simkova capped off a 7-1 run to begin the set. The Bulls extended the lead to 10-2 on a Simkova ace and 15-5 on an ace by senior Scout McLerran. Sanks capped off the set with a kill as UB took a 2-1 lead in the match.
Colgate was able to answer though as the Raiders built a 19-11 lead in the fourth. It remained 22-12 Colgate when the Bulls tried to make a run, scoring eight straight points, pulling back within two. The Bulls got a pair of blocks from Simkova and freshman Abby Leigh during the run. The Bulls would pull within 23-22, but Colgate scored the final two points to take the set and send it to a fifth.
The Raiders, who played two five-set matches yesterday, trailed early at 5-3, but managed to tie it up at 5-5. UB went back ahead 8-6 until the Raiders answered with a 4-1 run to take the lead. Buffalo would pull back within one at 12-11, but Colgate scored two more to force match point. UB fought off one match point, but a Colgate block clinched the set and the match.
Prokudina finished the match with a team-high 17 kills, one of four players in double figures for the Bulls. Following the match she was named to the All-Tournament team. Simkova added 16 kills, while Kristina Nieves had 12 kills and just a pair of errors. Sanks also finished the match with 14 kills.
McLerran had a season high 58 assists, while the senior added three kills and eight digs. As a team, UB had seven aces, led by three from Simkova and two from Leigh.
Prokudina completed the double-double as she led Buffalo with 17 digs, while Beck had 14 and Simkova added 10.
Buffalo finished with 8.0 blocks as a team, led by three each from Nieves and Leigh.
The Bulls will hit the road for the first time next week at the UNIWYO Invite. Buffalo will first play Wyoming at 1:30 pm ET.
Ohio 1, No. 17 Purdue 3
Box Score
The Ohio volleyball team (1-3) took the first set against No. 17 Purdue (1-0) but fell, 3-1 (22-25, 25-17, 31-29, 25-19), on Sunday afternoon at the Holloway Gymnasium.
"Today was a great opportunity for our team to play against a very physical Purdue team," head coach Deane Webb said. "I hate that we didn't close out the third set when the opportunities presented themselves."
Freshman outside hitter Olivia Margolies (Galena, Ohio) had a breakout match after posting a career-best 14 kills. Margolies hit .379 on 29 swings and also added a dig in the match.
"Every freshman needs a grow up moment, and today Olivia (Margolies) had that," Webb added. "Hitting for that volume and percentage while facing a Big 10 level block should give her great confidence moving forward."
Senior outside hitter Lizzie Stephens (Dallas, Texas) posted her second double-double of the season after posting 12 kills and 10 digs. Stephens also had one ace.
Senior opposite/middle blocker Sara Januszewski (Oak Creek, Wis.) had a season-best eight kills on 14 swings and hit .286. Graduate transfer Shayla Phillip (Columbia, S.C.) recorded seven kills while redshirt sophomore Dahlias Bouyer (Brownstown, Mich.) had six. Ohio had 49 team kills and hit .174.
"Sara (Januszewski) performed well on both sides of the ball," Webb said. "Our back row made many outstanding defensive plays."
Junior setter Vera Giacomazzi (San Vendemiano, Italy) dished out 39 assists and recorded her second double-double of the season after posting a season-high 12 digs. Giacomazzi added three blocks.
Junior libero Macy Reihing (Lexington, Ky.) led the way with 13 digs for Ohio. After Giacomazzi's 12 and Stephens' 10, junior Maggie Nedoma (Brook Park, Ohio) had six. Both OU and Purdue had 47 digs.
Ohio had 10 team blocks, with Bouyer leading the way after having three assisted and one solo stuff. Giacomazzi had three while Phillip had two. Ohio was outblocked by Purdue, 26-10.
The Bobcats are back in action next weekend at the American Volleyball Classic. Ohio will take on Temple and American on Friday, Sep. 6 at 10 a.m and 7 p.m., respectively, before finishing the tournament on Saturday, Sep. 7 against Winthrop at 11 a.m.
