BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Three Bellevue University athletic teams – volleyball, men's soccer, women's soccer – are in action again this weekend. All three teams are on the road with volleyball at the Evangel Classic, men's soccer at the McPherson Classic, and women's soccer playing a road game at Grand View.
Today, BUBruins.com gives you a quick preview of this weekend's action:
Volleyball (7-5): Evangel Classic | Springfield, Mo. | Friday-Saturday, Sept. 9-10
Fresh off a weekend in which they won three of four matches and Maddie Squiers was named North Star Athletic Association Setter of the Week, the Bellevue volleyball team heads back out on the road for four games over two days at the Evangel Classic in Springfield, Mo.
In the first regular-season rankings of the season, the Bruins moved up from receiving votes in the preseason poll to being rated No. 19 in the NAIA.
In playing their first home matches of the 2016 season Bellevue picked up wins over a pair of ranked team in #15 Rocky Mountain (3-0) and #22 Ottawa (3-2) while taking #10 MidAmerica Nazarene to five sets in a heartbreaking loss. Bellevue also earned a 3-0 victory over Cornerstone as the Bruins won their home-opener for the second year in a row.
BU again faces stern opposition this week with matches against Tabor (3-4), #20 and host team Evangel (5-5), St. Mary (3-2), and former MCAC rival College of the Ozarks (7-7). The Tabor and Evangel matches will take place Friday at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., respectively with the match against Evangel also having a video live stream available. Saturday's schedule sees the Bruins face off with St. Mary at 10 a.m. and Ozarks at noon. Live stats will be available for all four matches.
Kills Leaders: Pakalana Helekahi (153, 3.12/set), Mikaylah Gillespie (113, 2.31/set), Shayla Scanlan (92, 2.19/set), Hope Lambrecht (86, 1.76/set), Michaela Gardner (66, 1.83/set)
Digs Leaders: Taylor Holz (187, 3.82/set), Verenice Chaparro (134, 3.35/set), Maddie Squiers (115, 2.35/set)
Assist Leader: Maddie Squiers (501, 10.22/set)
Blocks Leaders: Hope Lambrecht (42), Mikaylah Gillespie (41), Shayla Scanlan (36)
Men's Soccer (1-4-1): McPherson Red Card Cancer Classic | McPherson, Kan. |Thursday & Saturday, Sept. 8 & 10
The Bruins' men's soccer team looks to put an end to their current winless streak with the final two games of a six game road trip. The team travels to McPherson, Kan. for two games at the McPherson Red Card Cancer Classic. BU plays John Brown (3-0-0) at 5:30 on Thursday night and squares off with host McPherson (2-0-0) at 2 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 10.
Bellevue dropped a pair of 2-1 contests last weekend to a couple highly ranked teams in #18 Northwestern Ohio and #5 Davenport at the UNOH Racer Classic.
In their match-up with the hosts Bellevue jumped ahead 1-0 on Andres Blanco's second goal of the season but couldn't hold off the Racers in the second half, conceding two goals less than six minutes apart.
Against Davenport Finlay Bloodworth scored his first collegiate goal in a failed second half comeback. Ben Martin continued his solid play in goal, making six saves against a high-powered Panther offense.
John Brown has seen their season get off to a flying start with three wins from their first three matches. During that time they have defeated Lyon, Southwest Baptist, and Benedictine by a combine count of 10-1. Offensively the Golden Eagles are led by Kelvin Omondi and Conner Haney with three goals apiece. Omondi has added four assists and Haney three. Ryan Williams has also found the back of the net twice and assisted on another goal. Adam Holt has been stellar in net, stopping 14 of the 15 shots he has faced.
McPherson has won each of their first two games this season, topping Mid-America Christian 1-0 and Central Christian 4-1. Nick Torres has provided much of the Bulldogs' firepower having already scored four times this season. Christopher Kelly has a goal and an assist while Tyler Minney has assisted twice. Aaron Parrott and Arthur Lamparter have split the minutes in goal with Parrot stopping five of six shots and Lamparter three of three.
Goal Leaders: Andres Blanco (2), Daniel Coupland (2), Finlay Bloodworth (1), Edgar Guzman (1), Scott Robson (1)
Assist Leaders: Scott Robson (2), JT Cronin (1), Amador Rangel (1), Rob Smith (1)
Keepers: Ben Martin (1-4-1, 26 Saves)
Women's Soccer (2-2-0): at Grand View | Des Moines, Iowa | Sunday, Sept. 11
The BU women's soccer team plays their fifth straight match away from the friendly confines of Bellevue soccer club on Sunday when they travel to Des Moines, Iowa for a 3 p.m. fixture against Grand View University.
Bellevue is coming off an impressive 2-0-0 week in which they out-scored their opposition by a combined 7-2 margin. For their performances Maiwut Dar and Margie Garcia swept NSAA Conference Player of the Week honors.
Bellevue rolled to a 5-1 victory over Dordt on Friday evening on the strength of multi-goal performances from both Michelle Dolder and Maiwut Dar. Lauren Clark added a goal and an assist in the win while Reyvin Hernandez assisted on both goals from Dolder. Bailey Petzoldt and Laurence Rodier combined for seven saves in goal.
The Bruins followed that performance up with a 2-1 win over Northwestern. Kaleigh Young scored her first career goal with Kristin Hanson getting the assist and Maiwut Dar added the game-winner for BU. Laurence Rodier stopped seven of the eight shots she faced.
Grand View enters play at 2-2-0 overall but have lost their last two matches (2-0 away to St. Ambrose and 2-1 to Cardinal Stritch). Between now and Sunday the Vikings have a date with Division III Grinnell College to try and put a halt to their losing skid. Grand View has had four different players account for their four goals this season while Randi McGregor leads the team in points with three having also assisted on a goal. Clara Sporrer has seen the majority of the action in goal and has stopped four of the six shots she's faced this season.
Goal Leaders: Maiwut Dar (3), Michelle Dolder (2), Lauren Clark (1), Madison Lambert (1), Jordyn Seidel (1), Kaleigh Young (1)
Assist Leaders: Reyvin Hernandez (2), Lauren Clark (1), Kristin Hanson (1), Jordyn Seidel (1)
Keepers: Laurence Rodier (2-2-0, 12 Saves), Bailey Petzoldt (0-0-0, 5 Saves)
