LEWISBURG, Pa. — In a winner-take-all match for the regular season championship, Colgate Volleyball staged an improbable comeback, overcoming multiple deficits to win the final three sets and stun Bucknell with a reverse sweep on Saturday afternoon inside Davis Gym. 

With the win the Raiders (17-10, 14-2 Patriot) edged Bucknell (21-4, 13-3 Patriot) for their fourth consecutive regular season title. Colgate extended its winning streak to five matches, handed the Bison their first home loss of the season, and will host the conference tournament for the fifth straight year. 

Colgate dropped the first two sets and then trailed 19-12 in the third set before mounting a comeback that continued for the rest of the night. Abby Shadwick led the charge with a heroic effort behind 21 kills, 13 digs, and seven block assists. She ended the decisive fifth set with six consecutive points – including five straight kills.

COACH BAKER'S COMMENTS

"This was one of, if not the best match I've been a part of in my 19 years at Colgate. To come back in that fashion and in that environment says so much about this team's fight and trust in each other and the staff. We knew what kind of match we would get from Bucknell and they did not disappoint. This was one of the epic battles between two strong teams at the end of the season.

"I'm just so proud of the consistency our program has shown. To win four regular season championships in a row speaks to our team culture, our team leadership, and my staff. I'm just grateful to be a part of it. We are thrilled to host the championship and have our fans in attendance. We know the Hamilton community will show up. It will be a great weekend of volleyball."

HOW IT HAPPENED

Set 1 | Bucknell 25, Colgate 21
Colgate raced to an early 3-0 lead but Bucknell carried momentum from the home crowd to eventually build a 20-11 advantage. The Raiders fought back with six consecutive points, led by blocks from Shadwick, Greta Hoogstra, and Tiana Owens. Colgate trimmed it down to 22-21, but couldn't complete the comeback. Bucknell scored the final three points to seal the first set. 

Set 2 | Bucknell 25, Colgate 23
The Raiders got off to another strong start in Set 2, leading 12-7 on the heels of a 5-1 run capped off by back-to-back blocks from Hoogstra and Shadwick. Colgate still led 21-19 when Bucknell turned the table with a 4-0 run led by a pair of defensive blocks. Bucknell did not lose its grip on the lead, putting the frame away on a service error to take a 2-0 match lead. 

Set 3 | Colgate 25, Bucknell 23
The Bison had the Raiders on their heels after scoring three straight points to go up 19-12 but Colgate stormed back with a 10-3 burst led by three kills apiece from Frances Torres and Milan Bayless to tie the frame 22-22. Bucknell reclaimed the lead, 23-22, but Colgate countered with the final three points sealed by a block from Torres and Maddie Rudolph to seal the frame and stay alive.

Set 4 | Colgate 25, Bucknell 18
A back-and-forth fourth set saw both teams trade blows. Bucknell led 17-14 when Colgate once again roared back with a fight. Six unanswered points led by three kills from Gillian Hauschild put the Raiders in the driver's seat 20-17. Sydney Jones drilled two service aces and the poised Raiders finished the frame on an 11-1 blitz to force the fifth set, 25-18. 

Set 5 | Colgate 17, Bucknell 15
The fifth set was all Shadwick, the senior leader who was picked as the Preseason Player of the Year. With Colgate trailing 14-11 in the decisive fifth set, the Lexington, Ky. native scored the final SIX points for the Raiders. She had five consecutive kills to pull the Raiders in front 16-15, and then she ended the near–three-hour marathon with a service ace to kick off the celebration pile near center court. 

UP NEXT
Colgate is set to host the Patriot League semifinals and championship rounds Nov. 22 and 24 at Cotterell Court. The six-team tournament bracket has been set, with quarterfinal matchups beginning on Tuesday. Colgate and Bucknell receive a bye into the semifinals, beginning Friday afternoon. The Raiders will face the lowest remaining in the second match of the night on Friday at 5:30 p.m.