Waldorf downs Bethany Lutheran in third straight win
By Waldorf Sports Information Director
FOREST CITY – The Waldorf University volleyball team notched its third straight win, downing Bethany Lutheran College on Tuesday, October 11th.
Playing in front of a large and energized crowd, the Warriors (15-14) topped NCAA Division III’s Vikings (6-16) by scores of 25-18, 20-25, 25-14, 25-15.
“The girls protected our home court in front of a great crowd,” Waldorf interim co-head coach Mady Van Metre said.
April Jones led the charge for the Warriors, smashing 13 kills. The 5-foot-9 junior middle hitter from Humboldt sported a .579 hitting percentage and also provided a solo block.
“April stepped up huge and we hope to see more of that out of her as the season continues,” Van Metre said.
Waldorf junior Rebecca Bartnicki added nine kills and three total blocks, posting two solo blocks and a block assist. The 6-foot-1 middle hitter from Chicago has 89 blocks in her first year with the Warriors, which ranks fifth among single-season school records and eighth on Waldorf’s career blocks list.
Junior Isabelle Rothbauer connected for eight kills and senior Brianna Haugen delivered six kills for the Warriors. Haugen also had three total blocks behind two solo blocks and a block assist. Senior Megan Perkins turned in five kills for the Warriors, who ended the match with a .261 attack percentage.
Freshman Elisabeth Tramm and senior Valerie Rivera set Waldorf’s offense with 19 assists and 18 assists, respectively.
Junior Erica Fee tallied two service aces. The Warriors received one ace each from freshman Kelsey Sederquest and Rivera.
Briley Sullivan recorded a match-high 35 digs, which ties for sixth in Waldorf’s school record books for a four-set match. The junior libero from Laurens has 607 digs on the season and ranks sixth among the school’s single-season records.
Tramm, Fee and Sederquest collected nine digs apiece. Rivera came away with five digs while seniorKaitlyn Monck contributed four digs to go along with four kills.
The Warriors held Bethany Lutheran to just 72 points, which ties for the eighth-fewest points allowed in a four-set match in school history.
Waldorf controlled the opening set, powering to a .286 hitting percentage and limiting the Vikings to a .122 hitting effort.
Lutheran turned the tide in the second set with a .243 hitting clip and the Warriors finished with a .000 hitting percentage.
Waldorf fired up its offense to hit .231 in the third set and racked up a .286 hitting percentage in the match-clinching set. The Warriors shut down the Vikings, who hit -.048 and .079, respectively in the final two sets.
“After a rough second set, the girls responded with more intensity and played with more urgency to finish out the match,” Waldorf interim co-head coach Cecilia Brandon said. “They refused to lose in the last two sets.”