LEBANON, Ill. — The Northwest Missouri State University volleyball team moved to 3-0 on the season with a sweep of McKendree University Friday night at the Melvin Price Convocation Center Friday night.
The Bearcats recorded a .333 hitting percentage, tallying 44 kills and 14 block assists in the victory.
Northwest Missouri State started the first set with a strong offensive showing.
Gabrielle Gartner and
Jada Smith each contributed early kills, propelling the visitors to an initial 6-2 advantage.
Mya Karrick's effective setting facilitated several scoring plays, including a service ace that extended the lead.
The Bearcats maintained momentum throughout the set, capitalizing on McKendree's errors and showcasing a balanced attack featuring contributions from
Chloee Hayes and
Maddie Roenfeld. The set ended with the visitors securing a decisive 25-14 victory, setting a strong tone for the match.
The second set began with a crucial momentum shift as Northwest rallied from an early deficit. Gartner's consistent performance, including pivotal kills set up by Karrick, helped to keep the score close.
Smith and
Abby Bulthuis contributed key points, allowing the team to maintain competitive pressure against McKendree. With the score tied at 22-22, Northwest capitalized on McKendree's errors, and a late block by Hayes and Roenfeld kept the opponents at bay.
Ultimately, Smith secured the set with a decisive kill, leading the team to a narrow 26-24 victory, thus leveling the match.
The Bearcats started the third set with a series of strategic plays, gaining momentum with a kill by Bulthuis, assisted by Karrick, to tie the score at 1-1. The team then capitalized on errors by McKendree, including attack errors and a service error, to extend its lead to 4-3. A timely kill by Gartner, again from Karrick, pushed the score to 5-5, as Northwest continued to apply pressure.
Midway through the set, Northwest built a significant lead, fueled by kills from Gartner and Roenfeld, and a service ace by
Lily Zimmerman. This stretch increased the advantage to 17-10. The team maintained this lead by taking advantage of McKendree's errors and strong defensive blocks from Bulthuis and Hayes.
Closing the set, Northwest executed effectively with a kill by Karrick and a service ace to seal a 25-13 victory in the third set. This decisive performance secured their commanding position in the match.
Gartner led the charge with 13 kills on 22 attempts, achieving a .545 hitting percentage. Karrick facilitated the offense with 31 assists and contributed defensively with nine digs.
Ellery Luhring anchored the defense, recording 16 digs throughout the match. Roenfeld made a significant impact at the net, registering five block assists.
In their next game, the Bearcats will face Harding on Saturday, Aug. 29 at 2 p.m. at the McKendree Invitational in Lebanon, Ill.
