NORTHFIELD, Minn. – The Bethel University volleyball team opened up MIAC play Friday evening with a four-set loss at St. Olaf by scores of 22-25, 25-15, 13-25, 23-25.
St. Olaf (6-4, 1-0 MIAC) out hit Bethel (3-9, 0-1 MIAC) .250 to .174 while Bethel held the edge on blocks seven to three. For the fourth time this season BU tallied double-digit services aces with 10. Freshman
Peyton Howie led the way matching a career-high four aces.
HOW IT HAPPENED
First Set
• Statistically it was a tight first set with the Oles out hitting Bethel .186 to .111. Each team tallied a pair of service aces and a pair of service errors while the Royals totaled three blocks. There were 13 ties and five lead changes.
• No team saw a lead of larger than two until
Dani Friedges recorded back-to-back service aces putting BU up 19-16.
• St. Olaf chipped away at Bethel using a 4-0 run to take a 22-21 lead down the stretch.
•
Abigail Drury's fourth kill of the set evened it up before the Oles rattle off three more taking the opening set 25-22.
Second Set
• The Royals dominated set two with a .407 hitting percentage while holding the Oles to .171 with seven attacking errors.
• The Royals held an early 10-9 lead before going on an 8-0 large in part to three service aces from Howie.
• BU's largest lead of the set would be 10 on a handful of occasions including the set-winning kill from
Dani Friedges at 25-15.
Third Set
• The tides turned in the third set as the Oles hit .344 while holding the Royals to .031
• The Oles opened on a 10-0 run before a service error got the Royals a sideout.
• Bethel strung together a pair of 3-0 runs late but it was all Oles taking the third 25-13.
Fourth Set
• A close fourth only saw four ties and a pair of lead changes while St. Olaf had a .353 hitting percentage and the Royals .194.
• The Royals opened on a 6-1 run on the serve of
Devanie Andre.
• That lead grew to 16-7 with kills form Drury and
Brenna Stark.
• St. Olaf went on a 13-0 run from that point, despite a pair of Bethe timeouts, taking a 20-16 lead.
• BU responded with four straight evening it at 20-20 capped out by a Friedges kill.
• The Royals fended off two match points with a pair of Oles' attacking errors, but a kill for St. Olaf ended it taking the set 25-23.
KEY PERFORMERS
•
Abigail Drury – 12 kills, 4 blocks
•
Dani Friedges – 11 kills, 8 digs
•
Peyton Howie – 8 kills, 4 aces, 2 blocks
•
Brenna Stark – 29 assists
•
Devanie Andre – 16 digs
UP NEXT
The Royals look to snap their three-match losing skid Saturday night at Macalester. First serve is scheduled for 5 p.m.
