Bulls Drop Five-Setter To Colgate In Weekend Finale

Sunday, September 1

Buffalo, NY

10 am

University at Buffalo

1-2

Colgate

2-1

Team	1	2	3	4	5	Final F
Colgate	23	28	15	25	15	3
Buffalo	25	26	25	22	12	2

Bulls Drop Five-Setter To Colgate In Weekend Finale

9/1/2019 2:11:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score

BUFFALO, NY – 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.