+The volleyball team was hoping to get back on track after losing four straight in the Potsdam Invitational. Head coach Maria DePeters and the Bengals know they’re better than their showing at the tournament suggests.

“I think losing this weekend helped us really understand how important every point is, and how hard we have to work,” DePeters said. “I think we had a really good practice yesterday, and the girls did all the little things right, and that was something they didn’t do this weekend.”

On Tuesday, Sept. 13, the Bengals were at home to take on the Medaille Mavericks. Both these teams were coming into this game with a record of 2-6.

Buffalo State didn’t come out of the gates strong as they were quickly losing 4-1. After tying the set at four, both teams went back-and-forth until the Bengals took the lead 10-9. From there, the team didn’t look back as they were able to win the first set 25-18.

“Our passing wasn’t very good in the first set. So once we started getting some passes, somebody got up and cranked the ball and made a good play,” DePeters said. “I think it just ignited the intensity and enthusiasm of the team, and then we started to run away with it from there.”

Winning the first set was crucial for the Bengals as they started off the second set on fire. However, up 13-5, Medaille went on a 7-1 run and was able to close the gap. Fortunately, Buffalo State was able to stop the Mavericks’ run and make a run of their own. That run was a key factor, as they went on to win the second set 25-16.

The third set proved to be the nail in the coffin as the Bengals started off strong and didn’t look back. They won the set 25-11 and got their third win of the season.

Buffalo State ended up with 29 kills, 25 assists and 37 digs. Medaille made mistake after mistake, piling up 20 errors.

Freshman outside hitter Lauren Hansen led the way with 12 kills and two aces. Junior outside hitter/defensive specialist Riley Chapman had seven kills, three aces, and nine digs. Freshman setter Meg Brandon helped out with 21 assists and four aces.

At the Sports Arena, many Buffalo State athletes were in attendance. This added fuel to the fire as the volleyball team was ecstatic to see a full crowd.

“It was definitely amazing and the energy was fantastic,” Brandon said. “It really helped keep us playing very well throughout the entire match.”

Last weekend, the volleyball team traveled to Pittsford, NY to participate the in the St. John Fisher tournament. The Bengals played four games in the tourney and were able to win two of four.

On Friday, their first opponent was St. John Fisher. The Bengals lost the first two sets, but staged a comeback and were able to win the match in five sets.

The second game against Baldin Wallace was a challenge for Buffalo State. The Yellow Jackets were coming into the match with a record of 9-1. Unfortunately, the Bengals were unable to get things going as they lost to Baldwin Wallace in straight sets.

On Saturday, the volleyball team faced another doubleheader. The Bengals won their first match against Penn State Behrend in four sets. The second match didn’t go as well; they lost to Allegheny in straight sets.

This weekend, the team will be in Brockport, NY as they begin SUNYAC play. The Bengals will play Oneonta on Friday and on Saturday they will have a doubleheader against Cortland and Brockport.

The team is currently 5-8 on the season and is in ninth place in the SUNYAC. Their season is almost at the halfway point, and they’re going to have to put a winning streak together if they want a spot in the SUNYAC playoffs.

email: [email protected]

Twitter: @Jacob_Fyock