FULTON, Mo.—After picking up its first win against a ranked team in program history and nearly pulling out another upset on Saturday morning, the William Woods University volleyball team will look to earn another win in front of the home crowd against Culver-Stockton College on Tuesday night. First-serve is set for 7 p.m.
After splitting its home tri-match against William Penn and Central Methodist University on August 26th, the Owls (2-4) headed on over to the Bellevue University Tournament in Nebraska, one of the top tournaments over the holiday weekend and the Owls came away with a 1-3 record.
The Owls dropped the first match of the weekend, falling to Clarke College on Friday in four sets (25-23, 18-25, 22-25, 15-25), but responded with a huge win over (RV) Bellevue University in straight sets (26-24, 26-24, 25-23).
On Saturday morning, the Owls ran into another tough team in (RV) Baker University and out the gate, WWU dropped the first two sets, but responded by taking sets three and four, forcing the all-important fifth set.
In the fifth set, the Owls were up 15-14 and needed just one point to put away another team receiving votes in the NAIA Top 25 poll, but the Wildcats battled back and avoided the upset, winning the set and the match in five (16-25, 22-25, 25-16, 25-16, 15-17).
WWU then ran into No. 5-ranked Northwestern College in the finale of the Bellevue University tournament and the Eagles swept past the Owls in straight sets (16-25, 5-25, 23-25).
Over the weekend, WWU totaled 145 kills and were led by freshman
Abbi McKnelly totaling a team-high 30 kills, while also contributing 26 digs. Junior
Emily Becker and senior
Kristen Bauer both tied for second on the team with 27 kills.
Freshman setter
Brittney Engelbrecht contributed 118 assists and tied for the team-high in digs with senior libero
Abbie O'Mara, having 48.
On the season, McKnelly leads the Owls with 60 kills, while Bauer is second on the team, totaling 49 and Becker is one kill behind Bauer, having 48. Freshman
Abby Ferguson is fourth on the Owls in kills, totaling 35 in six games.
Engelbrecht ranks 39
th in the NAIA in assists (215), while numerous players have double-figure totals in digs, but Engelbrecht holds a team-high 65 defensive digs.
The Owls will be looking for redemption against the Wildcats on Tuesday night, as last year, in both teams' season opener, CSC defeated in the Owls in four sets (23-25, 22-25, 29-27, 15-25).
This year, the Wildcats are off to a 2-2 start, as a four set (13-25, 25-21, 25-17, 25-14) win over Bellevue University its last time out, snapped a two-game losing skid, where they fell to Midland and Ashford University in straight sets.
On the season, CSC is led by Kamrin Gold's team-high 44 kills, attack percentage of .235 and 37 digs. Brittany Houghton is second on the team with 20 kills, while Monica Bumbry and Chelsea Rhoades have contributed 17 and 16 respectively.
Setter Casey Giovanazzi has totaled 97 of the teams' 147 assists, while Abbie Foster leads the team in the dig category, having 48.
Fans make sure to stay updated on wwuowls.com on Tuesday night for a full recap and scores from inside Anderson Arena.
