Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 BELLEVUE, Neb.—The William Woods University volleyball team nearly pulled off another upset in the morning of the Bellevue University Tournament, but the Owls fell in five sets (16-25, 22-25, 25-16, 25-16, 15-17)  to (RV) Baker University and then were swept in straight sets (16-25, 5-25, 23-25) by a tough No. 5-ranked Northwestern College.

(RV) Baker University 3 William Woods 2
In the first set, the Owls (2-4) took a 1-0 lead off an attack error by the Wildcats (4-3), but that would be its final lead of the set, as Baker would take the lead at 2-1 and never relinquish it from then on, as they took the opening game 25-16.

The Wildcats nearly played a perfect first set, as they totaled a match-high 18 kills, while limiting themselves to just two errors. The Owls, meanwhile, totaled 11 kills and had an attack percentage of .154.

In the second set, the Owls jumped out to a 3-1 lead, as junior Cierra Merz recorded the kill for WWU. Baker, however, would go on a 6-0 run and retake the advantage at 7-4. The Wildcats would continue to hold a marginal lead, but the Owls would tie the set up at 16-16, after a kill by Lauren Rodewald.

The teams' would continue to go point-for-point, but another attack error by Baker, would tie the set up at 20-20 for the Owls. The Wildcats, however, would rattle off two consecutive kills by Shannon Bond and gain another point off an attack error by WWU, to take a 23-20 lead. The Owls would earn two more points, but couldn't keep the set going, as Baker took a two game lead, after winning 25-22.

The Owls needed a better start in the third set and they got it, as they jumped out to a 17-12 lead, after getting a kill from freshman Abbi McKnelly. The team closed out the set on an 8-2 run and put themselves back in the match, winning 25-16.

WWU totaled 11 kills in the third set, while having just five errors and earning an attack percentage of .171. The Wildcats were held to a .083 attack percentage, while totaling 10 kills.

With momentum on its side, the Owls again started off the fourth set well and were able to hold a 12-8 lead. Baker would narrow the advantage down to 12-11, but a kill by freshman setter Brittney Engelbrecht and an attack error by the Wildcats, gave the Owls some breathing room at 14-11.

The Owls would continue to fend off the Wildcats the rest of the set and tie the match up at 2-2, after winning in the fourth 25-16.

The Owls totaled nine kills in the set, while only having three errors and having a team-high .188 attack percentage. Baker, however, played its worst set of the match, totaling just eight kills, while having a team and match-high 10 errors, which lowered its attack percentage to a mere -.059.

In the fifth and final set, it was WWU continuing to play very well, and they were up 10-6 on the Wildcats, as Emily Becker capped off a 3-0 run for the Owls with a kill. Baker would then go on a 7-3 run and tie the set up at 13-13, after a kill by Danielle French.

The Owls would retake the lead at 15-14 and had the chance to put away another team receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 poll, but a service error by WWU would keep the match going.

Baker would go on to score three consecutive points and win the set and the match, 17-15 over William Woods.

The Owls had 50 kills in the match and were led by junior Merz, who totaled a career-high 12 kills for WWU. Becker, meanwhile, totaled 11 kills and earned herself an attack percentage of .346. Engelbrecht totaled 36 assists, while three Owls reached the double-figure plateau in digs, with Engelbrecht also leading in that category, having 18.

No. 5 Northwestern College 3 William Woods 0
In the first set, the two teams' flip-flopped ties and lead changes early on, but it was the Owls having the 15-14 advantage, after an attack error by Northwestern (7-1).

The Eagles would then put some distance between themselves and the Owls, as they went on a 9-0 run, to take a 23-15 lead and go on for the 25-16 first set win. WWU totaled seven kills in the game, but had eight errors, while the Eagles totaled 16 kills and an attack percentage of .375.

The second set belonged to Northwestern, as they jumped out to a 10-1 lead and never looked back, taking the second set 25-5.

In the third set, it was the Eagles again holding the early lead at 8-7, but then the Owls went on a 5-0 run, with Ferguson capping it off with a kill to make it 13-9 WWU and force Northwestern to take a timeout.

The Owls continued to hold onto its lead and were up 23-22, as they looked to continue the match going by forcing a fourth set. The Eagles, however, shocked WWU by taking three points in a row, which won the set and the match, 25-23.

William Woods was led by Bauer's team-high eight kills in game two, while Ferguson was second on the team with six. Engelbrecht totaled 21 assists, while Abbie O'Mara led the way with 10 digs.

WWU will return to action on Tuesday September 2^nd at 7 p.m. inside Anderson Arena, as the Owls host Culver-Stockton College.

Fans make sure to stay updated on wwuowls.com next Monday for a full preview of Tuesday's action.

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