CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa—Five sets and extra points were needed as the No. 5 Wartburg Knights (22-0, 6-0) volleyball squad faced off against the Coe College Kohawks (18-7, 5-1) in an American Rivers Conference battle. The Knights and Kohawks entered the match undefeated in conference action. 

The Knights took the first two sets before Coe came storming back to take the third and fourth sets. The Knights fell behind early in the fifth set before coming back to win the fifth set, handing the Kohawks their first conference loss.

How It Happened (25-18, 25-19, 17-25, 20-25, 17-15)

Two early service aces helped put the Knights up 7-2 early in the first set. The Knights maintained their lead as Coe came within one at 10-9. A kill by Natalie Clayberg put the Knights on a 9-3 run in the game, with three kills from Kylie Bildstein in the series. Allison Feigenbaum and Clayberg recorded the final kills of the first set for the Knights, taking a 25-18 win.

Clayberg opened the second set for the Knights as a series of attacking errors by the Kohawks gave the Knights a 9-1 advantage early. A Bildstein kill extended the lead to eight as the Kohawks struggled to find an answer. The Kohawks brought the set within three at 14-11 when a Bildstein kill put an end to the Kohawks scoring run. Trading points back-and-forth, the Kohawks came within two late in the set. Four kills from the Knights in the closing points sealed the second set.

Coe was not going down without a fight as the Kohawks jumped out to a 10-2 lead in the third set. Zaiah Quirk ended the scoring run by the Kohawks as the Knights struggled to find their rhythm early. The Kohawks took a 13-point lead at 22-9 before ending their run with an attacking error. Quirk recorded two kills as the Knights went on a 7-2 run. The Knights run came late as the Kohawks would take the third set.

Looking to bounce back after the third set, the Knights took a 7-4 lead early in the fourth. The Kohawks brought the game within one at 9-8 on an attacking error by Quirk. The Kohawks took the lead on a kill from Kate Tidman at 13-2 as Bildstein tied the game in the next point. Battling points late in the set, the Kohawks pulled away from the Knights to force a fifth and final set.

With their hopes of remaining undefeated in conference play on the line, the Knights and Kohawks battled early in the fifth set. After a Feigenbaum kill gave the Knights a 5-4 lead, the Kohawks answered with six points, taking a late 10-5 lead. Jayme Willemssen and Bildstein recorded blocks as the Knights went on a 6-1 run late, tying the set at 13. An attacking error by the Kohawks tied the set at 15 before Quirk hit back-to-back kills on passes from Claire Marsh to remain undefeated in A-R-C play.
 
Knights Leaders
 
Quirk led the Knights in kills, with 20 kills in the contest. Bildstein added 11 kills, while Feigenbaum tallied seven. The Knights recorded 51 kills as a team in the contest, with a hitting percentage of .162.
 
Marsh and Clayberg recorded a pair of aces as the Knights tallied six aces in the contest.
 
Bildstein led the Knights in total blocks with 14, as Willemssen added eight to the Knights 23 total blocks.
 
Katie Foster recorded 32 digs in the contest, her fourth time this season with 30 or more digs.
 
A Look at the Numbers Nationally (As of 10/14/21)
 
The Knights are one of six unbeaten teams in the nation, including No. 1 Johns Hopkins. The Knights lead the conference in blocks per set, digs per set, kills per set, hitting percentage, total team blocks, team digs and total team attacks per set.
 
Foster leads the A-R-C in digs per set (5.93) and ranks No. 6 nationally in this category. Bildstein leads the A-R-C in blocks per set (.84), hitting percentage (.431), and total blocks (58). Marsh is second in the conference in assists per set (10.32) and has recorded 753 total assists this season.
 
In the Polls
 
Following an impressive performance this season, the Orange & Black rose to the No. 5 spot nationally.
 
Next Time In Action
 
The Orange & Black finish the regular season with three home games. The Orange & Black welcome Simpson College on Oct. 22, before hosting Central College for Senior Day on Oct. 23.
 
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