DUBUQUE, Iowa -- The Wartburg College volleyball team (7-5 overall) opened the Loras Invitational with a pair of 3-0 sweeps over Macalester College and Lawrence University Friday evening at the Lillis Athletic and Wellness Center.
HOW IT HAPPENED
Match 1: Wartburg vs. Macalester
The Knights took control early, building a 9-6 advantage in the opening set behind four kills from
Ashlynn Hodges and a service ace from
Aspen Falk. Macalester responded with three consecutive points to even the score at 9-9, but Wartburg answered with seven straight points, including two aces from
Peyton Robinson and key plays from
Anna Sash, to take a 25-14 victory.
Wartburg carried its momentum into the second set, jumping out to a 3-0 lead following two Macalester attack errors and a kill from
Ema Roberts. The Knights extended their advantage to 14-5 following a block from
Alexa Buhman and Naughton and continued to capitalize offensively, earning a 25-12 set win.
The third set featured a late comeback from the Knights, who trailed 23-19 before a kill from
Rachel Borwick sparked the rally. Wartburg tied the set at 24-24 before consecutive Macalester attack errors gave the Knights a 25-23 victory and the 3-0 sweep.
Hodges led the Knights with 10 kills while hitting .500, while Sash added seven kills and six total blocks. Buhman contributed 29 assists and eight digs, while Hoskins recorded a team-high 11 digs and two service aces. Wartburg hit a season-best .314 as a team, while Falk surpassed 25 service aces on the season.
Match 2: Wartburg vs. Lawrence
The Knights opened the second match with a 3-0 lead, highlighted by a Lawrence attack error and kills from Sash and Koudelka. Lawrence battled back to tie the set at 8-8, but Wartburg responded with a strong run that included a block from Kauten and Hodges before closing out the opening frame, 25-19.
Lawrence took an early 7-3 lead in the second set, but a strong serving run from Sash helped Wartburg regain the advantage at 10-7. The teams continued to exchange points before the Knights pulled away late to secure a 25-20 victory.
The third set featured another late comeback from Wartburg as the Knights erased a 24-20 deficit. A kill from Kauten sparked the rally, followed by two kills from Sash and a pair of Lawrence errors that completed the comeback and gave Wartburg a thrilling 26-24 victory.
Hodges again led the Knights with 16 kills and four digs, while Sash added 14 kills and two aces while hitting .500. Buhman recorded 42 assists and 14 digs, while Kauten posted a season-high five total blocks. Hoskins surpassed 100 digs on the season, reaching 103.
The Knights have recorded 533 kills this season and have maintained a team hitting percentage of at least .250 in each of their last two matches.
UP NEXT
Wartburg continues play at the Loras Invitational against Edgewood College Saturday, Sept. 19, at 1 p.m. in Dubuque, Iowa.
