SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – Despite a hard-fought first two sets, the Spring Arbor University volleyball team was unable to get past Bethel College, falling 3-0 (23-25, 22-25, 15-25) in Crossroads League action on Wednesday night.
Sophomore Rebekah Kujat paced the Cougar offense with a match-high 10 kills. Junior Emily Verhage and freshman Olivia Landis followed with seven and four kills, respectively. Freshman setter Gabrielle Hilliard recorded 17 assists on the night. Senior Lyndsay Murray led the defense with 19 digs while freshman Leah Rose added 14, and Landis registered six blocks.
Trailing 10-9 in the opening set, Verhage helped fuel a 5-1 run SAU run with a pair of kills to put the Cougars ahead 14-11. Bethel (7-4, 1-1 Crossroads) countered with a run of their own, however, scoring eight of the next 10 points to regain the lead 19-16.
Spring Arbor would rally back getting kills from Courtney Kyser and Kujat to spark another scoring spurt to put the Cougars in front 23-22. The Pilots responded though with three consecutive points to take the first set 25-23.
The second frame proved to be just as close, seeing 21 ties and nine lead changes. Kujat got SAU off to a great start serving up three straight points, including an ace, to jump out to an early 5-1 lead. However, a lengthy run by the visitors would put them in front 11-8. The Pilots would eventually extend their advantage to 20-16, but the Cougars refused to back down, using a 6-2 run to even the score at 22-22.
Bethel managed to halt the charging Cougars, however, taking the final three points of the set to grab a commanding two-sets-to-none lead.
The Pilots carried that momentum over into the third stanza and immediately pushed out to a 12-5 lead en route to winning the set 25-15, and completing the sweep.
Spring Arbor (1-10, 0-2 Crossroads) will face another tough test Friday when they host #RV Grace College beginning at 7 p.m.
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