WAVERLY, Iowa—Claiming the 2021 American Rivers Conference regular season title, the No. 5 Wartburg Knights volleyball team swept the Central College Dutch in action this morning.

The No. 5 Knights (24-0, 8-0 A-R-C) posted set scores of 25-6, 25-11, 25-9 over the Dutch (14-10, 3-4 A-R-C).

How It Happened

Opening with back-to-back kills from Kylie Bildstein, the Knights opened the first set with an 11-2 lead. The Knights kept the offensive pressure on as Kennedy Meister recorded a trio of kills late as the Knights extended their lead to 20-6. The Knights would take set one on a service ace from Claire Marsh.

Bildstein had two kills as the Knights kept the cruise control on in the second set, opening on a 9-2 run. The Dutch went scored three unanswered points on a 6-2 run, bringing the game within six points late in the set. Bildstein and Jayme Willemssen recorded a pair of kills to extend the lead to eight as the Knights would take the second set, 25-11.

With one set away from claiming the regular season title outright, the Knights jumped out to a 15-4 lead over the Dutch. Zaiah Quirk recorded three consecutive service aces during the opening points. The Knights continued their offensive pressure as they kept the Dutch at bay, taking the third set on a block from Allison Feigenbaum and Jayden Walter.

Knights Stats Leaders
 
Bildstein led the Knights in kills, recording nine in the contest. Quirk and Meister added six each as the Knights recorded 34 kills as a team on a .395 hitting percentage.

Katie Foster and Quirk had four service aces as the Knights recorded 12 aces. The Knights added 10 blocks and 44 digs in the contest.

Tournament Outlook
 
Claiming the regular season title, the Knights earn the top seed at the American Rivers Conference Championship. The Knights will serve as the host for the semifinal and championship matches, November 5-6, in Levick Arena.
 
A Look at the Numbers Nationally (As of 10/20/21)
 
The Knights are one of four 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, opponent hitting percentage, total team blocks and total team attacks per set.
 
Foster leads the A-R-C in digs per set (6.05) and ranks No. 7 nationally in this category. Bildstein leads the A-R-C in blocks per set (.96), hitting percentage (.423), and total blocks (75). Marsh is second in the conference in assists per set (10.21) and has recorded 796 total assists this season.
 
In the Polls
 
The Orange & Black continue their stay in the top-5 of the AVCA poll, after moving to 22-0 last weekend.
 
Weekly Honors
 
After recording 61 digs in competition last week, Foster picked up her fifth Defensive Player of the Week honors from the American Rivers Conference. 
 
Next Time In Action
 
Concluding regular season action, the Knights host No. 23 Bethel University (Minn.) on Tuesday, October 26. The Knights will recognize the six seniors prior to the 7:30 p.m. start.
 
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