FULTON, Mo. -- With double-doubles from both
Sarah Wehmeyer (Carrollton, Texas) and
Emily Becker (Belleville, Ill.) on the night, the William Woods University volleyball team sent its senior class out with a 3-1 (25-18, 30-28, 23-25, 25-21) win over Hannibal-LaGrange on Thursday night. Wehmeyer handed out 41 assists and pulled 12 digs, with Becker posting 10 kills to go with 21 digs in the win.
William Woods fell behind early in the first set, as the Trojans were able to surge out to a 4-1 lead, but the Owls reeled off three quick kills to level the set at 4-4.
Although they kept the set close, WWU wasn't able to take control of the first set until reeling in HLGU at 17-17. After a kill by Becker put the Owls on level terms at 17,
Kristen Bauer (St. Charles, Mo.) picked up kills on three of WWU's next four points and combined with Becker for a solid block on the fourth. The four-point spurt was part of a 9-1 run by the Owls to take the first set.
The second set was a see-saw battle, with neither team able to build more than a four-point cushion. William Woods looked in danger of dropping the set as they trailed 22-24 after an attack error, but a timeout from head coach
Monica Herschelman settled the squad, with the Owls eventually taking a 30-28 set win.
Although the Owls had home-court advantage wrapped up with the second set win, Hannibal-LaGrange put up a bit of fight in the third set, battling back from a 6-11 deficit to take the third set 25-23.
WWU jumped out early in the fourth set, taking a 12-5 lead and forcing a Hannibal-LaGrange timeout. The Owls held off the Trojan surge briefly, scoring three points to just two for HLG, but the visitors posted seven unanswered points to close to 15-14.
A kill by Becker was enough to return the momentum to William Woods and the Owls closed out the match 25-21 winners.
Bauer led all players in the match with a .308 attack percentage, racking 20 kills on the night.
Amanda Henley (Jefferson City, Mo.) was one of five Owls with double-digit digs on the night as she posted 24.
Emily Nolte (Higginsville, Mo.) posted 20 digs with
Abbie O'Mara (St. Peters, Mo.) rounding out the quintet with 17.
The win gives William Woods (20-18) its first 20-win season since 2009 and the Owls 12-6 league record is good for fourth place in the American Midwest Conference. WWU will open the AMC Postseason Tournament on Tuesday, Nov. 6 against Hannibal-LaGrange. First serve for the match is set for 7 p.m.
