DUBUQUE, Iowa - Sophomore LaJaida Even (Waverly, Iowa) totaled a team-high 20 kills on the day as the Bellevue University volleyball team won a pair of games on Friday night on day one at the Clarke University Tournament. The Bruins dropped Cardinal Stritch University in the opener 3-0 before downing Robert Morris University by an identical 3-0 score in the nightcap.
With the victories Bellevue has now won 10 straight and, more importantly, have moved within one game of .500 on the season at 10-11. The victories continue to show the progress that the team has made over the past couple of weeks. Said ninth-year head coach Trish Siedlik, "We have grown so much in the last couple weeks and that maturity is quickly preparing us for conference play. Our goals are still within reach and the staff is liking our progress."
Match One: Bellevue 3, Cardinal Stritch 0 (25-20, 25-23, 25-15)
Bellevue used double-digit kills by Even and junior Symone Faulkner (Denver, Col.) to score a 3-0 victory over Cardinal Stritch in the first match of the Clarke University Tournament on Friday afternoon to extend their winning streak to nine.
Even finished with a match-high 14 kills while hitting .355 in 31 attempts and Faulkner attacked at a team-best .450 clip on her way to 10 kills in 20 attempts. For Faulkner, it was her third straight match with at least ten kills, a feat which she has accomplished a team-best 13 times this season.
The first two sets were close contested affairs but the Bruins were able to hang on for gutty 25-20 and 25-23 victories to take a 2-0 lead into the third set. Bellevue didn't wait around and seized control by scoring eight of the first 10 points in the set on their way to building a 20-11 lead before, ultimately, snagging a 25-15 victory.
Junior Beth Walker (Dubuque, Iowa), enjoying a homecoming of sorts, directed the offense to a tune of 35 assists to go along with five kills, a .444 attack percentage, and six digs on the afternoon. Freshman Taylor Holz (Omaha, Neb.) totaled a team-best 11 digs while classmate Addison Smith (Papillion) chipped in with nine.
BU out-hit the Wolves by a convincing .284-.135 margin for the match.
Match Two: Bellevue 3, Robert Morris 0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-11)
Bellevue struck first in the opening set and never looked back on their way to a 3-0 victory over Robert Morris to complete the day one sweep.
The Bruins used big runs in the middle of each of the first two sets on their way to establishing a commanding 2-0 lead. The third set saw little evidence of a comeback by Robert Morris as BU jumped out to a 12-7 lead and never let it get any closer than four the rest of the way.
BU out-hit Robert Morris by a gaping .413-.042 margin and scoring a 38-24 edge in digs for the match, paced by Beth Walker's 10 digs to go along with 22 assists. For Walker, it was her team-leading 10th double-double of the year.
Freshman Gracie Myers (Treynor, Iowa), with her seven kills, led a very balanced Bellevue offense which saw six different players record at least five kills. LaJaida Even, Symone Faulkner, and freshman Hope Lambrecht (Wood River, Neb.) each chipped in with six kills while Walker and freshman Rachel Wald (Omaha, Neb.) added five apiece.
Seven of the nine Bellevue players to register a kill had an attacking percentage of .400 or better.
Key to the Bruins victories in both matches was the style of play that BU was able to employ. "We played an aggressive tempo today against teams that couldn't keep up," stated Siedlik who continued by saying, "Our serving kept us on the offensive and our attack was clean." Bellevue will likely need more of that when they return to play tomorrow to wrap up competition at the Clarke Tournament with games against Mount Mercy University and host Clarke at noon and 4:00 p.m., respectively.
