COLUMBIA, Ky. – The Blue Raider volleyball team capped off a perfect month on Saturday morning, recording its fourth consecutive sweep to defeat Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.).
Lindsey Wilson's victory extends its winning streak to 10 matches, the longest since 2019. The Blue Raiders also hit for a season-high 0.351 on the attack, paced by
Lara Danesi's 0.632 hitting percentage and 14 kills.
All told, the home team totaled a season-low seven attack errors as no Blue Raider finished with more than two.
The visiting Lions began the match with a 2-1 lead but quickly lost it when Lindsey Wilson pushed an 7-1 run to force a Freed-Hardeman timeout. Kills from Danesi and
Savanah Pippin elevated the Blue Raiders' advantage to 12-5, then a 7-2 stretch later on left no doubt for Lindsey Wilson to take the opening set, 25-15.
Successful attacks from Danesi and
Brenda Arango, mixed in with Lion miscues aided the Blue Raiders to a commanding 6-1 lead to open the middle set. Despite Freed-Hardeman cutting the deficit to a single point, the Blue Raiders kept their foot on the gas and responded with a 7-1 rally. Leading 17-11, Lindsey Wilson proceeded to score eight of the set's last 12 points, including kills by Danesi, Pippin, and
Elisa Burzio, as well as a monster block from Danesi and Pippin.
Freed-Hardeman stuck around for a more tightly contest third set. Knotted at 12-12, a 5-1 Blue Raider run provided some breathing room, and even as the Lions battled back, Lindsey Wilson tallied the final five points of the match to seal the sweep. A combo block from Arango and Burzio proved to the dagger in the Lions.
Luiza Goncalves led the Blue Raiders with 21 assists.
Monika Szwarc added a dozen dimes, while Danesi and
Autumn McCutchen each turned in a team-high nine digs.
Lindsey Wilson will hit the road for most of the month of October, starting at 7 p.m. CST on Tuesday, October 1 at Cumberland (Tenn.).
