CLINTON, Iowa -- Led by Annie Benson and Symone Faulkner's 14 kills apiece, the Bellevue University volleyball team defeated Culver-Stockton College 3-1 (25-14, 25-20, 18-25, 25-16) Friday afternoon in its opening match of the Ashford Saints Invitational at Kehl Arena.
The Bruins will continue tournament action today with a 6:00 p.m. match scheduled against William Penn University.
Bellevue, currently ranked 23rd in the nation, has now won 10 of its last 11 contests and improved to 12-4 while Culver-Stockton dropped to 5-7 overall.
Faulkner set a career-high in kills (14) and hitting percentage (.571) and tied a season-best with five total blocks.
Benson, this week's MCAC Hitter of the Week, also tallied 14 kills and has now reached double-digit kills totals in eight of her 12 matches played this year.
Jordan Broady directed BU to a .310 hitting percentage in the match, collecting 48 assists, five digs, three service aces and two block assists.
Meghan Evans recorded her seventh match this season with 20 or more digs, anchoring the defense with a match-high 22 digs to go along with five assists.
Sydney DeBoer registered 10 kills, three service aces, three block assists and two digs.
The Bruins held CSC to -.040 in the opening set and closed the game on a 16-6 run to win, 25-14. Faulkner and Benson combined for nine of BU's 15 kills.
BU hit .344 with 14 kills and only three hitting errors in the second game. DeBoer led the way for the Bruins connecting on all four her kill attempts to lift BU to a 25-20 win. BU only trailed twice in the set.
The Wildcats took the third game, 25-18, behind a .379 hitting clip highlighted by a 10-2 run midway through the frame to take control of the set.
The Bruins hit .414 and used a decisive 16-7 run to finish the match, including nine of the final 13 points to win, 25-16.
