Box Score
NAIA Opening Round Results
BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Led by outside hitters Eve Fountain and Sierra Athen, the Bellevue University volleyball team swept visiting Edward Waters University 3-0 (25-16, 25-12, 25-20) Saturday afternoon in an NAIA Volleyball National Championship Opening Round matchup at Bellevue West High School.
The Bruins improved to 24-7 on the season with the win. EWU ended its season at 24-7.
Pool play assignments and schedules for the NAIA Volleyball National Championship Final Site will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 21 at 5 p.m. The tournament will take place on Nov. 30-Dec. 4 at Tyson Arena in Sioux City, Iowa.
Fountain recorded her team-leading 20th double-double of the season, finishing with 13 kills on .458 hitting while adding 11 digs. Athen hit .345 with 12 kills while adding eight digs, two blocks, and a service ace.
Olivia Galas directed the BU offense to a .352 hitting efficiency, dishing out 40 assists along with 13 digs, three kills, and a pair of blocks. It marked her 11th double-double of the season.
Taylan Keefer finished with 12 digs, seven assists, and a pair of service aces in the victory.
The Bruins' two middles, Nicole Meyer and Haley Fleischman combined for 11 kills on 24 errorless swings. Meyer finished with a match-high four blocks.
The Tigers were paced by Saldy Amparo Smith's seven kills, six digs, and two service aces. The EWU defense was anchored by Andrea Diaz Merced, who finished with 14 digs to go along with nine assists.
The Bruins never trailed in the match until the third set when the Tigers raced out to an early 4-1 lead following a pair of BU attack errors and two service aces from Arielly De Souza. Bellevue responded with a 4-1 spurt to tie the set at 5-all sparked by kills from Meyer and Athen.
After an attack error by Athen and an ace by Smith gave EWU a 9-7 advantage, the Bruins went on a 6-1 run capped by a service ace from Keefer to take a 13-10 lead. BU never trailed the remainder of the set as the Bruins closed the match on a 5-2 run highlighted by a pair of kills from Fountain and a putaway from Meyer. Jacki Apel ended the match on a blistering kill from the right side, sending the Bruins to Sioux City.
The Bruins will be going to the Final Site in Sioux City for the eighth time in school history.
