Despite a 3-1 loss to Army on Sept. 19, the volleyball team clinched a 3-1 victory over Holy Cross on Sept. 20 in the first Patriot League weekend of the season for the Orange and Blue. The Bison faced Army and started off strong, winning the first set 25-14. Still, the Black Knights fought back, and in the end secured the win over the Bison with the last three sets being 25-21, 25-23, and 25-17. Setter Meghan Wentzel ’16 played a key role in the match by setting up a well-balanced attack for the Bison, contributing 26 assists and seven digs. Errors played a key role as well, with the Black Knights making many, especially in the third set, but the Bison couldn’t capitalize. It was a different story for the Bison the next night against Holy Cross. The Bison showed their mental toughness in a thrilling match. Starting off a little shaky with a 25-23 loss in the first set, the Bison took control and won the remaining three sets. “The game was the most amazing experience of my life. It was definitely a mental and physical challenge, but we were determined to overcome it. We walked away from that game with a sense of confidence and the will to take on any team in the league,” Rebecca Forbes ’17 said. The Orange and Blue fought till the end in the second set, winning 29-27. The third set the Bison took quickly, winning 25-20. The Bison showed true strength and tenacity in the fourth set, taking the Crusaders to a set that went to 38-36, a feat very rarely seen. Karen Campbell ’16 and Hailey Stout ’18 made the game-winning point with a defensive block on Holy Cross. “We made a lot of errors against Holy Cross, but it was the hardest I’ve seen us work all season. We really needed that [win], and it felt good to know that our hard work was worth something. Now we are at a clean slate, and we still have a lot of work to do before American and Navy this weekend,” Jordan Walker ’17 said. The defensive side proved to be very important for the Bison, led by Kristen Parks ’17, Katie Price ’16, Walker, and Stout. Parks recorded 38 digs, and that was followed up by Price’s 25 digs, Stout’s 19 digs, and Walker’s 17 digs. The Bison are now 1-1 in the Patriot League and will head to the Washington, D.C. area this weekend for some more Patriot League action against American (Sept. 26) and Navy (Sept. 27).