The American University volleyball team picked up its fifth straight win and its seventh sweep in Patriot League action with a 3-0 win over Bucknell on Friday night in Bender Arena.

American (23-2, 9-1) opened the match with five straight tallies before the Bison were able to get on the board. Bucknell battled back on a kill by Jordan Walker but the Eagles pulled away with three straight points, 10-6. An ace by Katie Price put Bucknell within one, 15-14. A 3-0 run by American, capped off by back-to-back aces by Allison Cappellino, forced Bucknell to call a timeout. The teams traded points but the Eagles held onto its advantage as a kill by Juliana Crum secured the 25-19 win.

Bucknell (9-13, 2-10) took an 11-9 lead in the second set before American retook the advantage on a 6-0 run. The Eagles pulled away with three straight points for the 18-12 advantage as the Bison called a timeout. Bucknell was able to fight back within five on an American error, but a kill by Kristyna Lindovska gave the Eagles the 2-0 match lead with a 25-18 victory.

After three ties to open the third set American used four straight tallies for a 7-3 advantage. Consecutive errors by the Bison forced Bucknell to call a timeout and the team was able to come out of the break with a 5-1 run to get within two, 13-11. A Crum kill sparked a 6-1 run for the Eagles as it took a 19-12 lead and the Bison took its second timeout of the set. American continued to roll, answering Bucknell point for point before a kill by Morgan Hendrix completed the sweep with a 25-16 win.

Lindovska led the Eagles with 17 kills. Crum added a team-high 11 digs and hit a team-best .600 with nine kills. Monika Smidova notched 41 assists, nine digs, four blocks and two aces to fill the stat sheet and Hendrix led American at the front of the net with five blocks. The Eagles outhit Bucknell, .374 to .176, for the match.

Karen Campbell, Kristen Titley and Walker each posted 10 kills for the Bison. Meghan Wentzel had 17 assists and Morgan Mientus finished with 14 digs.

American is back in Bender Arena tomorrow, Saturday, November 2, when it takes on Lafayette at 2 p.m. The match will be broadcast live on Eagles Vision TV.