WAVERLY, Iowa - The Wartburg College volleyball team began its 2020-21 American Rivers Conference schedule at Levick Arena, hosting Coe College and defeating the Kohawks 3-0, Tuesday, Feb. 23.

Wartburg overmatched Coe, limiting the visitors to a .051 attacking percentage and forcing 24 Kohawk errors. The Knights won 25-15, 25-12, 25-17 while tallying 41 kills with a .404 attack percentage. 

Four Knights totaled attacking percentages above .500, while Zaiah Quirk led the home team with 15 kills. Kennedy Meister, a junior transfer from North Iowa Area Community College, followed with nine kills and shared the team lead in blocks with Abbey Thier, notching five each.

Katie Foster led the defense with 14 digs, while setters Claire Marsh and Sydney Rottinghaus guided the attack with 16 assists each.

Wartburg led by as many as 10 in the first set, taking a 1-0 lead after closing out the set on a 5-2 run with a pair of Quirk kills.

Early on during the middle frame, a six-point streak for the Knights led to a commanding 14-3 lead, capped off by a pair of kills from Natalie Clayberg. The Knights maintained at least a 13-point advantage throughout the set to claim a 2-0 lead.

In the final set, Wartburg was paced once again by a hot start, jumping out to a 15-6 lead. Coe pushed back to come within seven points at 22-15, but the Knights closed out the contest with a pair of Quirk kills along with one from Cora Holland.

Wartburg, now 1-1 overall and 1-0 during conference play, heads to Pella, Iowa, this Saturday, Feb. 27 to take on Central College. The match is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.