The women’s volleyball team dropped its Patriot League opener 0-3 at American University on Sept. 23. They also fell 0-3 at Navy on Sept. 24. However, veteran Bison athletes Blake Buchholz ’19 and Kristen Parks ’17 led the Bison against American in kills and digs, respectively.

The American Eagles were Patriot League favorites entering the season after winning three consecutive league championships. However, the Bison fought hard, challenging the Eagles to the very end in each of the three sets. The Orange and Blue lost the sets 25-22, 25-21, and 25-23.

On the offensive end, Buchholz led the team with 10 kills, while Bridgette Holland ’20 added seven. Luz Nagle ’18 led the Bison with 14 assists. On the other side of the ball, the Bison defense put out a strong effort, totaling 49 digs in the game. Parks led the team with 11.

The following night, the team traveled to Annapolis, Md. to face Navy in another Patriot League match. Navy took all three sets by scores of 25-17, 25-18, and 25-22. Offensively, Sophie Bullard ’20 led the Bison with eight kills.

On the defensive end for the Bison, Erika Eastley ’17 tallied two solo blocks and two block assists in the match. Eastley moves into fourth place all-time for blocks in the University’s women’s volleyball history with 331. Parks led the Bison in digs again with 12 out of the team’s 43.

“Unfortunately we did not get the outcome we wanted from the matches,” Eastley said. “We are looking to improve on our abilities to close matches, especially those matches that are very tight, and I think that once that happens we will be unstoppable,” she said. 

The pair of losses drops the team to a season record of 2-12 and 0-2 in the conference. They will next face Lehigh on Sept. 30 followed by a home match against Lafayette on Oct. 1.