BELLEVUE, Neb. -- The 15th-ranked Bellevue University volleyball team earned its third-straight sweep with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-20, 25-14) victory over Mayville State University Friday afternoon in North Star Athletic Association play at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
With the win, the Bruins improved to 11-5 on the season and 2-0 in the NSAA. MSU dropped to 6-10 overall and 1-2 in league play.
Senior Sierra Athen led the Bruins with 12 kills and 13 digs for her ninth double-double of the season.
Sophomore Sidney Sledge hit .450, connecting on 10 kills with just one error in 20 attempts. Sophomore Jacki Apel was the third Bruin in double figures, finishing with 10 kills along with a match-high six blocks.
Senior setter Olivia Galas directed the BU offense to a .211 hitting percentage, finishing with her team-leading 10th double-double of the season, with 36 assists and 10 digs, along with five kills and a pair of blocks.
The Bruins held a 9-6 advantage in blocks and 66-63 edge in digs, led by Taylan Keefer's 18 defensive saves.
Elora Passa paced the Comets with 12 assists, nine kills, nine digs, and two blocks. Natalie Hadrava led all players with 26 digs.
Trailing by five points early in the first set, BU used an 8-2 run and a 6-1 spurt to pull away for the 25-20 victory in the opener. Athen collected four kills, and Sledge and Apel registered three apiece to pace the BU offense in the first set.
A kill by Sledge capped a 6-1 BU run in the second, and Athen and Sledge pounded consecutive kills to end the second frame as BU won by an identical 25-20 score. Sledge paced the BU offense in the second with five kills on six swings.
The Bruins never trailed in the third set, racing out to a 16-3 advantage en route to the decisive 25-14 victory to earn the sweep.
Bellevue will host Presentation College on Saturday (Sept. 24) at 1 p.m. in the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.
