Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

WAVERLY, Iowa – The Royals volleyball team split a pair of matches Friday in day one of the Wartburg College Tournament, with a narrow 3-2 loss to Simpson College in the 2 p.m. matchup and a 3-1 win over Nebraska Wesleyan University at 6 p.m. Bethel fell to the Storm 25-22, 22-25, 25-21, 21-25, and 9-15 before upending NWU 25-14, 25-21, 25-19, 25-22.

Amy Baumetz (Sr., Three Lakes, Wis.) was the team lead Friday, as she led the Royals in both matches. Against the Storm, Baumetz posted 16 kills and had her hand in five blocks.  Nicole Deberry (Fr., Libertyville, Ill.) managed 11 kills and two blocks, while Nicole Ackatz posted her fourth consecutive double-digit performance with 10 kills.
 
Setter Cierra Nickel (So., Sanborn, Minn.) continued her assist parade with 42 assists in the first match of Friday's competitions. Nickel's 42 assists was the fifth straight 40-plus match and 11th of the season.
 
Val Smith (Sr., Alexandria, Minn.) led all BU players in digs, finishing the match with 31 saves.

In the 6 p.m. battle against Nebraska Wesleyan, Baumetz & Co. were not only effective, but balanced. The Three Lakes, Wis. native was the only one to grab a double-digit kill performance with 13, but Acaktz and Deberry each posted nine and Caitie Helle (Sr., Onamia, Minn.), eight. Baumetz had a hand in six of the Royals' 10 blocks, including two solo and four assisted. Meanwhile Helle also had four blocks as well.

Both Ackatz and Nickel's sensational runs came to an end. While Ackatz was one kill shy of her fifth straight double-digit kill showcase, Nickel finished with 33 assists in the second competition of the day. Paige Van Wyk (Fr., Sheldon, Iowa) also had 11 assists against NWU.
 
Numerous individuals posted clutch digs for Bethel in the 3-1 match, including libero Val Smith who finished with 24. Kali Johnson (Fr., Tacoma, Wash.) managed 10 digs, while Mallory Rundquist (Jr., Kasson, Minn.) and Nickel each finished with seven

Friday's results put Bethel at 13-7 overall with two more matches yet to play. BU will face conference competitor Gustavus Adolphus Saturday at 12 p.m., followed by a battle against Carthage College at 4 p.m.