Oct. 8 – BETHANY, W. Va. – The Bethany College volleyball team (15-6, 9-1 PAC) captured their fifth-straight victory, and eighth in their last ten matches, as they defeated Grove City College (11-10, 4-5 PAC) in straight sets on Wednesday evening in Bethany.
In the first set, there was just one lead change as the Bison took control early. After the Wolverines got on the board first on a kill by Natalija Galens, the Bison rattled off five-straight points, getting two service aces by Mackenzie Lauber (Mansfield, Ohio/Madison Mansfield) to run out to a 5-1 lead. With the Bison up five (14-9), the Green & White put the first game away, receiving three aces from senior Kelly Becquet (Finleyville, Pa./Ringgold) in a 6-0 run which put the Bison ahead 20-9. Bethany would go on to win game one, 25-14.
Game two was played a little closer, as the Bison found themselves down 8-5 early in the set. Bethany would respond nicely, going on a 13-1 run to completely swing the momentum in their favor. During the run, the Bison received three kills from Alexis Castro (Lorain, Ohio/Lorain) and two aces off the serves of Haley Santymire (Clifton, Va./Centreville), which opened an 18-9 lead. The Green & White would go on to take game two by a 25-18 score, the closest margin of victory in the match.
The Bison led set number three from start to finish as they jumped out to a quick 5-1 lead in what would prove to be the finishing game. Both Dakota McKenzie (Hopewell, Ohio/West Muskingum) and Lynsie Mandt (Columbus, Ohio/Worthington Kilbourne) notched two kills in the first five points. Despite the early advantage, Bethany still found itself up just two, midway through the third set (13-11). However, the Bison would receive four more kills from McKenzie as well as two kills from Arielle Sanders (Maple Heights, Ohio/Maple Heights) to outscore the Wolverines 12-5 the rest of the way, and take game three 25-16, and the match, 3-0.
In the win, McKenzie led the way offensively, finishing with 13 kills. Castro finished the contest with nine kills while Sanders and Lauber totaled six each. Mandt finished with four in the contest to go along with her team-high 10 digs. Lauber added 29 assists and three service aces to her kill total while Becquet notched three aces in the win.
Defensively, the Bison used a total team effort, holding the Wolverines to a .106 hitting percentage. Five different players notched at least five digs in the match including Mandt's 10. Julia Mouch (Toledo, Ohio/Sylvania Southview) finished the game with nine while Lauber, Santymire and Dylana McKenzie (Hopewell, Ohio/West Muskingum) had seven, six and five, respectively.
Bethany will be back in action on Friday and Saturday, October 10 and 11 when they travel to Elmhurst, Ill. to compete in the Elmhurst College Tournament. The Bison will kick off the tournament with games against Saint Olaf and Simpson College on Friday at 4 p.m.
