WAVERLY, Iowa -- The Wartburg College volleyball team extended its winning streak to 10 matches Saturday, earning a five-set thriller over Wis.-La Crosse before sweeping Alverno in its second match of the day inside Levick Arena.
The Knights (13-5 overall) battled past the Eagles 25-17, 25-14, 22-25, 23-25, 15-13 before cruising to a 25-10, 25-14, 25-17 sweep of Alverno. Against the Eagles, Wartburg set a new program record with 17 service aces, surpassing the previous mark that had stood since 2005.
GAME ONE | vs UW-La Crosse
Wartburg controlled the opening set against Wis.-La Crosse from the outset, building an 8-6 advantage behind kills from
Lucy Maassen,
Anna Sash,
Kaylee Koudelka and
Ashlynn Hodges.
Keely Kauten's kill sparked a six-point run that pushed the Knights ahead 14-6, with
Peyton Robinson contributing two service aces during the stretch.
The Eagles responded with five consecutive points, but Wartburg maintained its composure and closed the set with a Robinson service ace for a 25-17 victory.
Robinson again provided a spark from the service line in the second set, helping the Knights jump to a 6-0 lead with two aces while Sash and Maassen added kills. Wartburg continued to build its advantage throughout the set, eventually taking a 25-14 victory and a 2-0 match lead.
Wis.-La Crosse responded in the third set after Wartburg opened with a 9-0 run. The Knights held a 21-15 advantage before the Eagles mounted a comeback, closing the set on a 10-1 run to claim the frame 25-22.
The fourth set remained tightly contested, with Wartburg holding a 20-16 lead late in the frame. Wis.-La Crosse again rallied, scoring six straight points to take a 25-23 victory and force a decisive fifth set.
The Knights answered in the final frame, racing to an 8-2 advantage before the Eagles mounted one final push. Wartburg held off the comeback attempt and secured the five-set victory, 15-13.
Hodges led the Knights with 18 kills and 19.5 points, while Robinson recorded 30 digs. Buhman directed the offense with a season-high 49 assists as Wartburg finished with a season-high of 101 digs as a unit.
GAME TWO | vs Alverno
Wartburg carried the momentum into its second match of the day against Alverno, quickly taking control of the opening set. During Buhman's service rotation, the Knights turned an early point into a 7-1 advantage behind multiple kills and service aces. Wartburg continued to pull away and closed the set 25-10.
Alverno took an early 10-7 lead in the second set before the Knights responded with five consecutive points. Wartburg maintained control from there, using contributions from Buhman, Hayungs and Hoskins to secure a 25-14 victory.
The Inferno again opened the third set with an early advantage, but Wartburg answered with a series of kills and blocks to take control. The Knights extended their lead to 22-15 before closing the match with a 25-17 victory.
Maassen paced the Knights offensively against Alverno with 11 kills while hitting .381. Buhman added 30 assists, three aces and eight digs, while Robinson recorded 20 digs for her second consecutive match with at least 20 digs.
The Knights also received a defensive contribution from
Callie Welsch, who recorded her first dig of the season. Wartburg has now recorded at least 61 digs in consecutive matches during the 2026 season.
UP NEXT
Wartburg returns to action Wednesday, Oct. 7, traveling to Cedar Rapids to face Coe College in its conference-opener at 6 p.m.
