Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

MOUNT VERNON, IOWA – The Royals ended day two of the Cornell College Classic in similar fashion as day one, as Bethel finished 1-1 Saturday with a 3-1 win over UW-Eau Claire and a 3-2 loss to UW-Platteville. With Saturday's finishes, BU ended the tournament 2-2 and improved its overall record to 9-4 (0-1 MIAC).

In the 9 a.m. matchup against the Blugolds of UW-Eau Claire, Bethel's offensive attack was exquisite. A .300-plus attacking percentage in games one, two, and four, handed the Royals 25-22, 25-22, and 25-23 wins in each set, respectively. Eau Claire, who has defeated MIAC opponents Concordia, Augsburg, and St. Olaf, remained tough throughout the match but couldn't close out Bethel's netters.

Caitie Helle (Sr., Onamia, Minn.) continued her dominance in the contest, finishing the match with 18 kills and a .533 attacking percentage. BU's other senior middle blocker, Amy Baumetz (Three Lakes, Wis.) ended the affair with 12 kills as well.

Sophomore setter Cierra Nickel (Sanborn, Minn.) managed 36 assists throughout the four-game match, while digging seven UW-EC attacks. Leading the Royals in digs was Val Smith (Sr., Alexandria, Minn.), who ended with 21 digs.

The Royals attempted to make it a Saturday sweep and finish the weekend tournament 3-1, but couldn't complete the comeback against UW-Platteville, falling 3-2. Bethel took the first set 25-22 before falling 20-25 and 11-25 in games two and three. The Royals turned the tides in the fourth 25-17, but were edged 15-13 in the fifth frame. With the win, the Pioneers improved to 9-3 on the season.

Bethel was outstanding defensively against UW-P, finishing Saturday's second match with 10 blocks. Helle amassed four solo blocks and was ferocious at the net, accumulating 17 kills on a .316 attacking percentage. Helle has accrued 47 kills throughout the last three BU matches. Baumetz also gathered 11 kills, with a .242 attacking percentage, and had a hand in four blocks as well. Junior right side hitter Nicole Ackatz (Elkhorn, Wis.) completed the Bethel trifecta at the net with nine kills and four additional blocks.

Val Smith attempted to break Friday evening's personal best performance of 46 digs Saturday, as the senior libero calculated 43 digs against UW-Platteville. Cierra Nickel hit 40-plus assists for the seventh match of the 2012 season, finishing with 47 total assists.

Following the weekend tournament, Bethel travels to Moorhead, Minn. Wednesday to take on the Cobbers for a 7 p.m. match. The Royals outlasted the Cobbers at home in 2011, who were ranked No. 10 at the time, but were defeated by CC in the 2011 NCAA Division III National Tournament regional semifinal.