WAVERLY, Iowa – The No. 20th-ranked Bethel University volleyball had its hands full traveling to Waverly, Iowa for a nationally top-20 and regionally ranked matchup at No. 5th-ranked Wartburg. Bethel battled tight with the Knights, who end their regular season 25-0, before falling in four sets.
The Royals were led by
Kirstin Cotter with 15 kills while
Emily Rossing hit a team-best .379 with 14 kills.
Kelsie Sealock finished with an impressive 30 kills, three off her career-high, with
Hannah Wilhite dishing out 43 assists.
The opening set was tight from the start with 12 ties and only two lead changes. Bethel erased a 19-13 deficit scoring seven of the next eight points. A kill from Rossing evened it at 20 before the Knights rallied their way to set point. BU fended off three set points before the Knights were just able to find the floor taking the opener 25-23 despite the Royals hitting .300.
Bethel never held a lead greater than one before the Knights tallied a four-point swing. The Royals got as close as three forcing a Wartbug timeout, but the Knights came out swinging taking the second 25-18.
The Royals battled erasing a 14-8 defect tying it up at 17-17. A run of kills by Cotter,
Allie Fauth and
Danielle Friedges gave BU a two-point advantage before the Knights tied it up at 20. A tradeoff of points was responded by four straight from Bethel forcing a fourth set with a kill from Rossing.
Wartburg showed why it hasn't lost a match this year coming out and hitting .448 in the fourth set. Bethel never led in the fourth but did get as close as six hitting .207.
BU jumps into MIAC play to close out the regular season hosting Macalester on Friday at 7 p.m. and Hamline Saturday at 7 p.m.
