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Box Score 2 OLATHE, Kan.— On the final day of the MidAmerica Nazarene Rachel Magana Memorial Tournament, the William Woods University volleyball team got redemption against Baker University to start off the day, winning in four sets (26-23, 17-25, 25-21, 25-11), but fell in straight sets (24-26, 14-25, 14-25) to No. 23-ranked MidAmerica Nazarene and closed out the weekend 2-2 overall.
William Woods University 3 Baker University 1After getting swept in straight sets earlier this month against the Wildcats (10-7; 1-2 HAAC), the Owls (10-8; 1-0 AMC), were able to hang on in the first set, winning 26-23. Baker responded by evening the match up at 1-1, winning set two 25-17, but the Owls were able to take set three 25-21 and dominate the fourth and final set, winning 25-11.
The Owls totaled 64 kills in the four set match and were led by senior
Emily Becker, who totaled 18 kills and 10 digs. Her double-digit dig outing allowed her to surpass the 1,000 career dig mark in her illustrious four-year career with WWU.
Lauren Rodewald had herself a game with 14 kills, while
Stephanie Davis (11) and
Tory Wiley (10), combined for 21 kills and 10 digs. Another milestone mark was hit against Baker, as setter
Brittney Engelbrecht, surpassed 2,000 career assists in just her sophomore season, as she totaled an eye-popping 60 assists in the win.
Defensively, it was a total team effort, with WWU combining for 93 digs, which was just six off its season-high they put up against Mayville State back on September 4
th. Leading the way for WWU was freshman,
Melanie Kala, who set a season and team-high with 23 digs.
Engelbrecht contributed 18 digs, while
Shelby Hinshaw had 15 and
Caitlyn Schmelzer also joined Becker with 10 digs.
No. 23 MidAmerica Nazarene 3 William Woods 0In the first set, it was the Pioneers (15-7; 4-0 HAAC), holding the early lead of 13-10, after an attack error from the Owls. After tying up at 15-all, on a kill from Davis, the Owls would take the lead at 16-15, after an attack error from MNU.
The two teams' would meet up again at 18-18, but then, three straight MNU attack errors, would give the Owls a 21-18 lead, which was its largest of the set. MNU would battle back and tie the score back up at 23-23, after a kill from Cailyn Bessmer, which forced WWU to take a timeout.
The Owls, however, regained the lead after a kill from Becker, but two consecutive kills and a service ace from Sofija Berezovska, allowed the Pioneers to escape with a 26-24 win.
WWU had an impressive first set, totaling 15 kills and six errors, for an attack percentage of .273, but MNU fared just a bit better, having 18 kills and an attack percentage of .314.
In the second set, the Pioneers used a quicker start to put distance between themselves and the Owls, as they took an 18-10 lead, off a kill from Berezovska. They were able to put WWU away, closing out on a 7-4 run and taking set two, 25-14.
The Pioneers were on fire in the second game, totaling 18 kills again, while limiting themselves to just one error and an attack percentage of .708. WWU, meanwhile, had nine kills, but five errors, for an attack percentage of .160.
It was the same story in the third set, as the Pioneers again jumped ahead 16-8, on another kill from Berezovska. The team was able to eliminate any type of late charge from the Owls and go on for the set and match win, 25-14.
WWU totaled 33 kills in the match and were led by Becker and Davis each having eight, with Becker having the better attack percentage of .316. Wiley and
Rachel Frabotta, meanwhile, added four kills each. Setter Engelbrecht contributed 26 assists, while freshman Kala tallied a team-high 10 digs.
MNU finished the outing with 51 kills, a team attack percentage of .435 and were led by Berezovska, having 16 kills, nine digs and an attack percentage of .625. Taylor Cowan and Lauma Knupke also reached double-figures in kills, having 11 each.
At the conclusion of the MNU Tournament, Becker, a Belleville, Illinois, native, was named to the All-Tournament team, after finishing with 49 kills and 36 digs.
The Owls will continue its road-tip next Tuesday, as they pay a visit to College of the Ozarks, for the third and final meeting this season. First-serve is set for 7 p.m.
Fans make sure to stay updated on wwuowls.com for a full preview of the outing against the Bobcats.
