ST. PAUL-- The Wartburg volleyball team started the season 2-0 Friday with a 3-0 sweep of St. Norbert and a 3-1 win over Bethel at Northwestern's Invite. The Knights dropped the first set against the Royals, but fought back to win the next three straight. This was the second-straight win against Bethel in a series between two perennial NCAA Tournament teams.

Against St. Norbert, senior Lizzy Blough (Dike) had a team-high 13 kills. Classmate Mallary Erbes (Urbandale) tallied a double-double with 22 assists and 11 digs. Sophomore Katie Foster (Charles City) joined her in double digits with 13 digs. The Orange and Black owned the team advantages in hitting percentage, service aces, and blocks. This also marked the fourth-straight win for Wartburg in the series.

Against Bethel, the Knights narrowly dropped the first set 25-22. They came back to win the next three 25-17, 25-18, 25-12. Blough had a career-high 19 kills, which bettered her previous mark of 18 set against Concordia (Wis.) last season. Freshman Jayme Willemssen (Waverly) joined her in double digits and had a career-high 10 kills of her own. Erbes recorded a new mark with 36 assists, which surpassed her previous high of 32 set against St. Thomas in the NCAA Tournament last season. 

Four players finished with double digit digs as Foster had 22, Blough had 17, Erbes had 14 and sophomore Sydney Rottinghaus (Mason City) had a career-high 13.

Defensively, the Orange and Black held Bethel to a .042 team hitting percentage.

Wartburg concludes the tournament tomorrow and will face Concordia-Moorhead and host No. 14 Northwestern.