BELLEVUE, Neb. – The William Woods University Volleyball team went 2-0 on the first day of the Bellevue University Tournament on Friday. The Owls defeated Baker, 3-1 (19-25, 25-22, 25-14, 25-22) and closed out its day by defeating Culver-Stockton, 3-0 (25-19, 25-17, 26-24).
 
With the win over Baker (Kan.), head coach Monica Herschelman collected her 100th career victory at William Woods University. That was not the only accomplishment as Victoria Day collected her 1,000 career kill in the match.
 
The Owls return to action Saturday, September 3 when they take on Peru State at 9 a.m. and Montana State University-Northern at 3 p.m. to close out the Bellevue Tournament.
 
William Woods vs. Baker
Game Flow
Baker came out swinging in the first set as they raced out to an early 8-2 lead in the first set as Gabriella Miller led the Wildcats. Baker continued to extend the lead and after a bad set by Brittney Engelbrecht, the Wildcats had a 13-5 lead. The Owls struggled to claw his way back as Baker grew the lead back to 12 points, 22-10. WWU clawed its way back to down five, 23-17, after a kill by Wiley but they would not get any closer as they dropped set one, 25-19.
 
Both teams traded leads in the second set of the contest and with the Owls down 7-6, WWU made its move. The Owls scored the next four points taking a 10-7 lead. It looked like the Owls would grow its lead but Baker came back tying the set at 13-13. WWU and Baker found themselves tied at 19-19 before the Owls scored the next two points. With the Owls ahead, 23-20, the Wildcats scored two points cutting the lead down to one, 23-22. With the set down to one, Wiley recorded the next two kills giving the WWU the set, 25-22.
 
Early in the third set, the Owls took a 2-1 lead after a Wiley kill. The Owls slowly started to grow its lead slowly, over the Wildcats. As they stretched the lead to 12-7 after a Stephanie Davis kill. WWU slowly grew the lead back seven, 15-8, as Wiley recorded two kills and the Owls scored on a Baker attack error. After taking the 15-8 lead, Baker scored the next five pints trimming the lead down to two, 15-13. The Owls responded as they scored 11 of the final 12 points to take the set, 25-14. WWU's Davis and Victoria Day, recorded the block to give WWU the set.
 
William Woods raced out to a 7-1 lead in the fourth set, as they scored three points on Baker attack errors and kills by Engelbrecht, Wiley and Kira Krebill. Baker would not go way in the fourth set as they continued to battle in the set, as they trimmed the lead down to 11-7, after an Ashley Sparks kill. For the second straight set, the Owls stretched its lead 15-8, after a Wiley kill, but Baker made another comeback by scoring the next four points. Baker would get as close as two points in the fourth set but could not come all the way back. After back-to-back kills by Wiley, the Owls led by three, 23-20. Baker gave the Owls match point after an attack error. Baker scored the next two points, 24-22, before Engelbrecht recorded a kill taking the set, 25-22 and the match 3-1.
 
By the Number
1000 – Victoria Day recorded her 1,000 career kill in the win
100 – With the win, Monica Herschelman won her 100 career game at William Woods
22 – Tory Wiley collected a career-high 22 kills
28 – Jessica Jensen led the way for the Owls with 28 digs
.165 – WWU compiled a 165 hitting percentage in the match
9 – The Owls recorded nine blocks in the win
 
Culver-Stockton vs. William Woods
Game Flow
The Owls raced out to a quick lead over the Wildcats of Culver-Stockton in set one as they scored seven of the first 10 points of the match. During the run the Owls were led by Abby Ferguson who had three kills. Culver-Stockton answered back and tied the match at 8-8, but then the Owls answered and grew the lead to 13-9 after three straight Culver-Stockton attack errors. The Owls continued to hold onto the lead and grew it to 19-14, after a Davis kill. Culver-Stockton did not go away quietly as they came back within two. The Owls did not let Culver-Stockton get any closer as they took set one, 25-19.
 
Culver-Stockton came out and scored the first three points of the second set prior to the Owls coming screaming back and tying the set at 4-4. WWU continued to heat up as the lead grew to 11-5 after a Ferguson kill. Culver-Stockton answered back trimming the lead down to three, 16-13. The Owls answered right back scoring five straight points taking a 21-13 lead that was capped by an Engelbrecht ace and an attack error. The Owls took set two, 25-17.
 
The third set was the closest of them all on the day as WWU scored eight of the first 12 points capped by a Davis kill. The Owls battled but could not pull away as they scored they led 13-11 before the Wildcats scored the next three points taking the lead, 14-13. The Owls retook the lead and stretched the lead to four, 20-16. The Wildcats came back and trimmed the lead down to one, 20-19, and then both teams started trading leads. With the set tied at 24-24, the Owls took a one point lead after a Davis kill and won the match and set on a McKenna Weaver attack error.
 
By the Numbers
11 – The Owls Stephanie Davis led the way with 11 kills
8 – After a career-high 22 kills, Tory Wiley finished second on the team against Culver-Stockton with eight
27 – Brittney Engelbrecht recorded 27 assists in the match
11 – WWU recorded 11 aces in the match
.219 – The Owls compiled a hitting percentage of .219