RIVER FALLS, Wis.—The Bethel University volleyball team took a break from MIAC action by traveling to River Falls, Wis., Saturday morning to face a pair of nonconference opponents. The Royals took on both the hosting Falcons from UW-River Falls and also the Blue Devils from UW-Stout.
 
The opening match against the Falcons was a five-set thriller that favored the Royals, as Bethel was able to win sets one, three, and five in a 3-2 victory (25-19, 22-25, 25-22, 21-25, 15-11). BU hit .235 as a team and finished the match with an astonishing 12 blocks.
 
Both of the Royals middles were explosive throughout the match, as Tegan LaBerge and Kristin Stern each had double-digit kills and numerous blocks. LaBerge finished with a match-high 19 kills—hitting .333 throughout the contest—and five block assists. Stern, meanwhile, hit .394 for the five-set affair with 14 kills, one solo block, and four block assists.
 
Carlee Hoppe also ended the match with double digit kills, recording 16 kills and seven digs against UW-RF. Hoppe, Stern, and LaBerge all benefitted from Katie Lubben, who had an exceptional 59 assists during the match. Lubben also had six digs.
 
Maddison Messner led all back row players with 22 digs, while Kali Johnson stuffed her stat sheet with seven kills, eight digs, one solo block, and four block assists.
 
The Royals had the match even at one against UW-Stout in the second competition of the day, but the Blue Devils outlasted BU in the third and fourth set to capture a 3-1 victory. Bethel's numbers looked exceptional different in the matchup with the Blue Devils, as LaBerge was the only play with more than eight kills and Maddison Messner led the team with 13 digs.
 
Katie Lubben ended Saturday's second match with 37 assists and eight digs, while Tegan LaBerge hit .345 for 12 kills and two block assists. The Royals hit .220 for the match, but UW-Stout overwhelmed BU by hitting .421 from the opposite side of the net.
 
With the split Saturday morning against the Falcons and the Blue Devils Bethel is now 15-8 on the season with a 4-3 mark in conference play. The Royals jump right back into loop play this Friday, when they host Hamline University for a critical MIAC matchup scheduled for 7 p.m. with the Pipers.