SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University women's volleyball team continued its strong run Saturday afternoon, sweeping Bethel University 3-0 inside the McDonald Athletic Center for its fourth consecutive victory.
The Cougars, receiving votes in the latest NAIA Top 25 Poll, improved to 13-4 overall and 5-3 in Crossroads League play, while Bethel dropped to 7-15 and 1-7. Spring Arbor took the match by scores of 25-19, 25-22 and 25-18.
Spring Arbor controlled much of the opening set, building a 19-10 advantage before Bethel pulled within five.
Keely Hinzman stopped the run with a kill, and the Cougars went on to take the set 25-19.
Bethel jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the second set, but Spring Arbor answered with six straight points to move in front. The Pilots later regained the lead at 20-19 before the Cougars responded again. An
Iyla Weeks kill tied the score, and back-to-back kills from
Isabelle Kirkendall helped SAU close the set on a 6-2 run for a 25-22 victory.
Spring Arbor took command early in the third. Hinzman delivered three service aces during a 7-0 run that gave the Cougars an 8-2 advantage. SAU later stretched the margin to 16-7 and never allowed Bethel closer than five the rest of the way, finishing off the sweep 25-18.
Hinzman and Weeks led the Spring Arbor attack with 10 kills apiece. Weeks hit a team-best .529 with just one error on 17 attempts, while Hinzman added three aces and seven total blocks. Kirkendall finished with nine kills, and
Natasha Bickel added seven.
Gabby Bryja handed out 15 assists, while
Camy Wedge recorded 12 assists and 10 digs.
Palmer Fortress anchored the back row with a match-high 17 digs. As a team, Spring Arbor hit .219 with 42 kills while holding Bethel to a .096 hitting percentage.
Spring Arbor returns home Wednesday, Sept. 30 to host Goshen College at 7 p.m.
