RIVER FALLS, Wisc. – The Bethel University volleyball team came away with a split on Saturday afternoon in River Falls. Facing off against Simpson College and the University of Minnesota-Morris. The Royals took down the Storm in the first game 3-1 and dropped the second to the Cougars 3-1. The Royals record now sits at 2-3 through the first five games of the season.
Game one:
The Royals fell behind 4-1 early in the first set, but an 11-3 run gave Bethel a comfortable 14-9 advantage. The score narrowed to 17-14 late but an 8-0 run by the Royals put them ahead 25-14 to win the opening set. Bethel dominated the first set with a 0.255 hitting percentage, while limiting the Storm to a 0.071 hitting percentage.
Bethel grabbed an early 8-3 advantage to begin the second set, before falling behind 11-9 after an 8-1 Simpson run. The Royals regained the lead after a 6-1 run capped off by a kill from
Eleanor Pelzel. With the set tied 20-20 late, a 5-0 run from the Storm gave them the lead and the set 25-20.
The third set opened with the Royals taking a 14-4 lead that they wouldn't relinquish. Dominating the set holding the Storm to a -0.029 hitting percentage and winning by a score of 25-12.
The fourth set saw the Royals jump out to a 8-3 lead on a kill from
Hannah Penke. Later extending the lead to 17-6 before Simpson cut the deficit to 17-13. A pair of kills from
Camille Renken extended the Bethel lead to 19-13 and the Royals went on to win the set 25-21 and the game 3-1.
Game two:
A 7-1 run capped off with a kill from
Grace Solberg put the Royals ahead 8-5 early in the first set against the Cougars. Bethel fell behind 18-13 after a 9-3 Cogar run. A pair of kills from
Peyton Howie and
Grace Solberg pulled the Royals to within one. Bethel dropped the first set 25-21 after a 6-3 Cougar run.
The second set was a back-and-forth battle that saw three lead changes. Bethel pulled ahead 24-23 late, on a Cougars attack error. Before three unanswered points gave the Cougars the lead and the set 26-24.
An early 8-3 run in the third set gave the Royals a 10-8 lead, followed by a 12-3 run to put Bethel up 24-17. A kill from
Eleanor Pelzel capped off the third set for the Royals 25-19.
The Royals began the fourth set with a 5-0 run, later extending their lead to 8-4. Before an 11-3 put the Royals ahead 14-10. A kill from
Peyton Howie tied the set at 21 late, before a 4-1 Cougar run ended the set 25-22 and the match 3-1.
Up next:
The Royals now head to Decorah, Iowa for a matchup with Northland College on Friday, Sept. 13 at 5 p.m.
