WAVERLY, Iowa -- The Wartburg College volleyball team (15-9, 2-2 American Rivers Conference) fell to Buena Vista University (19-2, 3-1 American Rivers) in straight sets, 25-16, 25-19, 25-19, Saturday on Senior Day at Levick Arena.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Buena Vista jumped out to a 6-0 lead in the opening set and maintained the advantage throughout. The Knights responded with kills from
Kaylee Koudelka,
Ashlynn Hodges,
Lucy Maassen and
Anna Sash, while an
Aspen Falk service run helped Wartburg trim the deficit to 13-8. The Beavers answered with four consecutive points to extend their lead and held off a late Knights push featuring a Maassen kill and a
Peyton Robinson service ace to take the opening set 25-16.
Wartburg found an early rhythm in the second set, taking a 9-7 lead behind service aces from Sash and
Alexa Melcher and a kill from
McKenzie Becker. Buena Vista rallied to even the score at 11-11 before a four-point run gave the Beavers control. The Knights battled back within 19-17 on kills from Koudelka and Becker, but Buena Vista responded with timely kills to maintain its advantage. Hodges and
Kruiz Ewoldt added late kills for Wartburg before the Beavers closed out the set 25-19.
The Knights opened the third set with a strong stretch, building a 10-4 lead behind Melcher's serve and kills from Hodges, Falk and Sash. Buena Vista chipped away at the deficit and used a five-point run to even the score at 12-12. The teams traded points through the middle of the set, with a Koudelka kill helping Wartburg pull within 19-18. The Beavers responded with five consecutive points, including three service aces from Kaylee Wray, to create separation and secure the 25-19 set victory.
Koudelka paced the Knights with nine kills while hitting .444 and added two digs. Sash contributed eight kills and a service ace, while Falk recorded a career-high 27 assists, nine digs and a service ace. Robinson led Wartburg with 19 digs and added a service ace. The Knights have recorded at least 56 digs in each of their last two matches.
UP NEXT
Wartburg travels to St. Paul, Minnesota, to face Bethel University on Tuesday, Oct. 27, at 6 p.m.
