Volleyball Loses Five Set Heartbreaker
Oct 5, 2018
DUBUQUE, Iowa – The University of Dubuque volleyball team dropped their first American Rivers Conference match on Friday night after playing a wild five set affair with Buena Vista but coming up just short (25-21,19-25,25-27,25-21,23-21).
A back and forth opening set was a sign of things to come for the rest of the match with neither team leading by more than two until Buena Vista built of a lead to 20-17 and held on to take set one, 25-21. With set two all tied up at 12, UD got a kill from Kara Wright and then three straight attack errors from the Beavers to grow the set lead to four and they would not surrender the lead again and took the set, 25-19 to even the match up at one set all.
Once again, the third set was tied nearly midway through the set when UD found a little spark to go on a little rally to go up four points. The Beavers scrapped their way back into it to even it up at 22-22 and eventually a lead at 24-22 with set point. However, the Spartans dug deep to stave off a set three loss and eventually grabbed at 27-25 after a service and attack error by the Beavers.
It looked as if the Spartans were on their way to a set four win as they had a lead at 11-8 and on a little run. The Beavers then went on a run of their own and getting a four point lead of their own at 18-14 and would not let the Spartans get back within a single point to win set four 25-21 and send the match to a fifth set.
In the fifth and deciding set, the Spartans busted out of the gates, building up a four point lead at 10-6 but then things got crazy. Buena Vista would rattle off the next five points to take an 11-10 lead and neither team would lead by more than one again until the final point. UD had six different chances at match point but could not close out before the Beavers shifted the tide and closed the match out at 23-21 on just their second match point attempt.
The Spartans had three different players reach double figures in kills. Kara Wright and Rylee Andresen both lead the way with 14 kills and Paige Harbort pitched in 12. Kate Messino assisted on 49 of UD’s 58 kills against the Beavers. Everyone did their part defensively, with five different Spartans recordeing at least 13 digs. For the match as a team, UD hit just .117, while BVU hit .182.
The Spartans have a quick turnaround as they host Nebraska Wesleyan University in another A-R-C matchup on Saturday afternoon at 2:00 p.m.
