Bulls Split Opening Day In Norfolk

Friday, September 17

Norfolk, VA

10:00 am

6-4,0-0MAC

Norfolk State

3-6,0-0MEAC

Norfolk St.

Buffalo

9/17/2021 9:30:00 PM | Women's Volleyball

Box Score 1 Box Score 2

NORFOLK, VA – The University at Buffalo volleyball team split its two matches on Friday in the first day of the Quest For The Crown, hosted by Old Dominion University. The Bulls defeated Norfolk State in four sets before falling to the host Monarchs in four. UB is 6-5 on the year.

The Bulls took the opening match of the day over Norfolk State, 25-27, 25-16, 25-21, 25-19 as Buffalo outhit NSU, .216 to .180. After getting off to a slow start in the first set which saw the Spartans take a 19-14 lead, UB was able to claw all the way back before falling late, 27-25.

Buffalo raced out to a 12-6 lead in the second set, which included a pair of service aces from freshman Hannah Jacoby. A kill by sophomore Emma Gielas extended the lead to 16-9 and a kill from sophomore Milla Malik clinched the set, 25-16. The Bulls hit .381 in the second set as Malik and Gielas both hit over .550 in the set, neither recording an error.

The Bulls took the lead midway through the third set as a kill from freshman Maria Futey put them ahead, 15-14, however, they found themselves trailing 19-17 when UB ended the set on am 8-2 run, capped off on a kill by freshman setter Mandy Leigh.

The fourth set was close early as the teams were tied at 10-10, but the Bulls went on a 6-2 run as a block from Gielas and Olivia DeBortoli gave Buffalo the 16-12 advantage. The Spartans would pull within 19-17, but UB scored the next three points, ending the match on a 6-3 run. Malik had the final three kills for the Bulls as she recorded seven in the fourth set alone.

Malik led the Bulls with a season-high 22 kills, one shy of her career high as she hit .245 for the contest, including 10 digs, two blocks, and a pair of aces. As a team, the Bulls finished with nine aces, as three players reached double figures.

Gielas had 17 kills and Futey finished with 10 kills and a career-high 19 digs. Junior Courtney Okwara added six kills and Leigh finished with four. Leigh also had 48 assists in the match and 16 digs.

In all, five UB players finished in double figures in digs, including Jacoby who finished with 16 and Kyndal Bacon, who added 10. Buffalo finished with 5.0 total blocks led by five from DeBortoli, who had two solos.

In the nightcap, Old Dominion took the contest 19-25, 25-23, 25-20, 25-18. Both teams were extremely efficient on offense as Buffalo outhit the Monarchs, .312 to .308.

Three Bulls finished in double figures in kill in the match led by 14 from Gielas, who hit .400. Okwara hit a match-high .706 as she had 13 kills and just one error on 17 swings. Malik chipped in 11 kills.

DeBortoli recorded seven kills and had no errors, while Futey added six kills. Leigh had three kills and 45 assists. The Bulls had five aces, including a career high four from Malik.

Defensively, Leigh finished with a team-high 15 digs, while Futey had nine. Malik, Bacon, and Jacoby all finished with eight. Okwara paced the blocking performance with three.

The Bulls close out the weekend and non-conference action on Saturday morning at 10am against Radford.