LIVONIA, Mich. - The Bellevue University volleyball team dispatched Rochester College 3-0 in the opener before falling to No. 19 Georgetown College 3-1 on day one of the 2014 BLT Sportswear Crusader Classic. Bellevue is now 16-14 on the year following the split.
Match One: Bellevue 3, Rochester 0 (25-10, 25-18, 25-21)
Junior Symone Faulkner (Denver, Col.) finished with a .476 hitting percentage (10 kills, 0 errors) as Bellevue claimed a straight-set victory over Rochester in the opener of the BLT Sportswear Crusader Classic.
Junior Beth Walker (Dubuque, Iowa) directed the team to a .283 hitting percentage with 31 assists while adding a pair of kills and seven digs. Freshmen Pimi Dike (Bellevue, Neb.) and Rachel Wald (Omaha, Neb.) added nine and eight kills, respectively. Wald also added at team-best 10 digs and four assists while freshman Kamille Smith (Spencer, Okla.) finished with six kills and sophomore LaJaida Even (Waverly, Iowa) contributed five.
Bellevue scored the first four points in the opening set, a forecast of things to come, and went up 10-3, following three straight Rochester errors (two attack and one service). The Warriors would get as close as 12-8 but the Bruins closed the set on a 13-2 run for a convincing 25-10 victory.
The second set started in much the same way as the first ended with a large run by BU. The Bruins scored nine of the first ten points on their way to a 25-18 victory. The third and final set was a much more even affair with the score even being tied as late as 12-12. Bellevue then used a 7-1 run to create some separation as they held on for a 25-21 victory to claim the match.
Match Two: #19 Georgetown 3, Bellevue 1 (25-9, 25-15, 22-25, 25-17)
The second match of the day for Bellevue saw the tables turned as the Bruins dropped a 3-0 decision to Georgetown. Georgetown won the first set by a final count of 25-9 and scored nine of the first 10 points in the second set on their way to a 25-15 victory in the set and a commanding two sets to none lead in the match.
The third set opened in much more promising fashion for Bellevue who scored the first six points with five coming with freshman Hope Lambrecht (Wood River, Neb.) serving. Georgetown responded by scoring an 11-2 run, prompting Bellevue to take a timeout in an attempt to stem the momentum. The timeout worked as the Bruins recovered to claim a 25-22 victory and force a fourth set.
In the fourth and final set, things were back and forth in the early going as neither team could gain much separation. Eventually Georgetown was able to go up by five at 19-14 before, ultimately, holding on for a 25-18 victory.
Beth Walker posted her team-best 14th double-double of the season, finishing the match with 26 assists and 12 digs. Symone Faulkner finished the match with a match-high tying 11 kills while LaJaida Even added eight kills and a .240 hitting percentage. Freshman Taylor Holz (Omaha, Neb.) added 12 digs of her own in support of Walker.
Bellevue will resume play at the BLT Sportswear Crusader Classic tomorrow when they take on Lawrence Tech. and host Madonna University at 9:00 am and 3:00 p.m., respectively.
