BLOOMSBURG- The Marauders and Huskies met in Bloomsburg for a PSAC East matchup, and both teams sported 1-3 records in conference play. On Saturday, October 7th at 6:00 p.m., Bloomsburg University Women’s Volleyball defeated Millersville in a close match. Members Liz Bopp, Jenna Dubosky, Amber Hall, Emily Jackson, Livia Moore, and Shayna Warfel all celebrated their senior nights at the game.
The Nelson Field House buzzed with excitement from various Husky and Marauder families filling the bleachers for a strong initial turnout. Six posters adorned the walls behind the score table and opposing teams displaying the names and numbers of the honored BU seniors. According to the Millersville Athletics site, about 213 people attended the match.
“Every team has the ability to beat you on any given night. That is one of the best parts of playing in this conference”, said Head Coach Daniel Kreiger prior to the match. “I think we can definitely win. I also know that we can lose. I expect Millersville to come in and compete, so we will have to play at a high level to get the W.”
Kreiger further elaborated Millersville’s strengths, their strong setter along with their scrappy playing style, making them a tough competitor. The Marauders use a variety of different hitters and line-ups, resulting in a need for the Huskies to be alert. “I think we have talent and depth at every position. We are getting some high-level play across the board. That is allowing us to be more balanced than we have in the past.”
The roller coaster of a game was made up of four intense sets between the two teams. The score went back and forth as each set only differed by a few integers. When the score reached over 30, neither team gave up, and the Huskies eventually managed to string three points together to win the set 38-36. This is one of the longest recorded matches for the BU team.
Sophomore Exercise Science student, Emma Antigua (10), dominated the court with her powerful swing and precise timing to hit the ball between the blockers on the other side of the net. Antigua played in all 24 games in 2022 and continues to standout leading the seasonal kills with 215. Antigua scored 6.5 points and leads the match kills from BU with Dubosky (27) and Bopp (9). However, Millersville led the statistics with a total of 51 kills while Bloomsburg hit ten less with 41 kills.
Dubosky finished off a career-defining weekend by hitting new highs in kills (16) and digs (25) in addition to two service aces. Bopp scored 11 kills gaining a total of 15.5 poitns within the overall game.
Millersville introduced a new asset to the floor- freshman libero/defensive specialist, Elizabeth Villegas (9) to cover the floor against strong BU hitters. She collected a total of 29 digs against Bloomsburg alone. Leading the match digs with Villegas are Madison Von Neida (2) and Emma Ludwig (22). Her passes were clean with a strong sense of technique.
With hard spikes striking the vulnerable parts of the court throughout the entire match, Bloomsburg played an aggressive, defensive style that made it difficult for the Marauders to communicate. The longest single set within team history, which ended with a Huskies victory of 38-36, marked the night’s thrilling start. Both teams put forth a spirited effort to seize the initial momentum. The first set included a total of 24 ties and 15 lead changes.
The second set score was 25-22 with the Marauders putting themselves back on the board. The teams traded the leading score throughout the entirety of the match. Continuous volleys kept families on the edge of their seats. Bloomsburg took over the net with 11 blocks, while Millersville had 6. Yet, the Marauders covered the floor with 96 digs compared to the 90 from the Huskies.
The third set was 25-20 as the Huskies stole back the leading score, following with a win in the last set with a score of 25-16. Senior Night is a meaningful night each year, and the Huskies celebrated with a win after a long, balanced match against Millersville.
In summary, the match between the Bloomsburg and Millersville Women’s Volleyball teams displayed a spectacle of determination and skill. The collective effort of both teams and the celebration of senior players left a positive mark on all supporters in the bleachers.
Following the match on Tuesday, the Huskies take on Wilmington in the Nelson Field House at 7:00 p.m.
