BELLEVUE, Neb. - The second-seeded and 17th-ranked Bellevue University volleyball team swept seventh-seeded Waldorf University, 3-0, on Tuesday evening in a North Star Athletic Association quarterfinal match at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
The Bruins won the match by scores of 25-20, 25-18, and 25-17. With the victory, Bellevue (30-9) advances to the semi-final round where they will play third-seeded and 23rd-ranked University of Jamestown on Friday, Nov. 11 at 7:30 p.m. in La Crosse, Wis. on the campus of Viterbo University. The winner of Friday's match will advance to Saturday's Championship Match at 5 p.m. which will also be played at Viterbo.
Waldorf wraps up the 2016 season with a 17-22 overall record.
The Warriors started off as well as they could have hoped in the first set, jumping out to an 8-2 lead on the hosts. After holding a 16-8 lead, Bellevue went on a 9-1 run to tie the match at 17-17. Verenice Chaparro and Taylor Holz each served three-straight points during the run. After trading points the teams were even at 20-20 before Addison Smith rattled off the final four points, serving for the Bruins.
Bellevue started strong in the second set behind six-straight points with Maddie Squiers serving to grab a 6-0 lead. Waldorf tightened the match at 11-10 before a Michaela Gardner kill and six-straight service points from U'i Kepani as the Bruins took an 18-10 lead before going on to win the set.
The Bruins jumped out to an early lead in the third set, 4-0, before having to withstand a Waldorf rally that saw the visitors snag an 11-9 lead. Three-straight service aces from Squiers capped a 7-0 Bruin run to give BU a 16-11 lead. Bellevue wouldn't look back from there as they pushed the final margin to 25-17.
Squiers notched her 13th double-double, finishing with 28 assists and 12 digs to go along with four kills on eight errorless swings, three service aces, and three blocks.
Bellevue spread the offensive wealth with five players recording five or more kills. Pakalana Helekahi and Shayla Scanlan shared team-high honors with eight apiece while Mikaylah Gillespie added seven. Lambrecht and Gardner finished with six and five, respectively.
Taylor Holz led the Bruins' defensive effort, finishing with 14 digs as BU out-dug Waldorf 43-38 on the night. Bellevue also held a substantial .277-.144 in hitting percentage for the match.
