COLUMBIA, Ky. – The (RV) Lindsey Wilson women's volleyball team grinded out a four-set win over Bethel (Tenn.) on Friday evening at Biggers Sports Center.
The Blue Raiders bounced back from a sluggish first set, in which they hit 0.073, to outpace the Wildcats 0.342 to 0.150 through the next three sets for a 3-1 victory.
Ola Wyrzykowska notched her third 20-kill match of the season as she led all attackers with 25 kills while hitting 0.362. She also ended with 12 digs for another double-double. Freshman
Ava Blomenberg turned in her best performance of the season, finishing with a career-best nine kills, four digs, and three blocks.
Luiza Gonçalves set 45 assists and added six kills, six digs, and two aces,
Momo Hampton headed the Blue Raider defense with 19 digs, and
Brooke Robinson chipped in 10 digs and two aces.
The Wildcats hit 0.324 in the first set. Four of the visitor's 13 kills in the frame came during a five-point run to break from a 4-4 tie. Bethel built its lead to as many as 10 points up 23-13, then held on to win set one 25-17.
Lindsey Wilson cranked up its offense in the second set to hit 0.500 on 26 swings. Leading 10-8, a combo block by
Sofija Pjevic and Blomenberg triggered a 7-0 run that included three Wyrzykowska kills and another block from Pjevic. Wyrzykowska hammered three more kills during a four-point spurt later on as the home team carried on to a 12-point set win.
In the third, Bethel edged out to an 8-3 advantage. A Wildcat kill made the score 12-9 before a service error flipped momentum and led to back-to-back Wyrzykowska strikes and a dump over the net by Gonçalves, giving Lindsey Wilson a 13-12 lead. The 'Cats responded to go back ahead 14-13, but consecutive kills by
Ana Clara Beltran Sacca ignited a 9-0 Blue Raider rally that launched them to a 25-17 set win and the lead in the match.
Two kills from Pjevic helped Lindsey Wilson out to a 3-0 lead to start the fourth. Bethel pushed back to tie the score at 6-6, then a Wyrzykowska kill and service ace, plus two Blomenberg kills gave the Blue Raiders an 11-7 cushion. Lindsey Wilson led 21-16 when the Wildcats started a six-point run to take a 22-21 lead. Bethel earned itself a set-point opportunity up 24-22, but hitting errors cost that chance, and the Blue Raiders tallied a 6-2 scoring run to end the set and clinch the match. Wyrzykowska lit the floor with three kills over that stretch.
Lindsey Wilson faces a swift turnaround at 11 a.m. CT on Saturday, November 1 when Freed-Hardeman (Tenn.) comes south from Campbellsville (Ky.). The Tigers defeated the Lions in four sets on Friday evening.
