Belles Sweep Hornets in Non-Conference Contest
Saint Mary's Stories
- Nicole Lukens led all players with 13 kills and 17 digs as the junior posted a .333 attack percentage on the night.
- Alyssa Chong added seven kills with just one error on 18 attempts for a .333 attack percentage.
- Morgan VanderWey had 34 assists and seven digs.
KALAMAZOO, Mich. - The Saint Mary's volleyball team swept Kalamazoo 3-0 (25-22, 25-18, 25-19) in non-conference match between the two squads on Tuesday evening.
Kalamazoo jumped out to a big 11-4 lead after rattling off eight consecutive points in the opening set. Saint Mary's cut the deficit to three points at 12-9 and 13-10, but the Hornets put away three points in-a-row for a 16-10 advantage. The Belles chipped away and pulled within two points at 18-16. A pair of kills by Kalamazoo a short while later made it a 21-17 score in favor of the Hornets, but the Belles came storming back late in the set. Nicole Lukens put down a kill, and an attack error followed by a bad set by the home side quickly made it 21-20. The Hornets got a point back with a kill, but Saint Mary's went on a tear down the stretch. Lindsey Pelletier and Nola Wallace had back-to-back kills to tie the set. A bad set on the Hornets' side followed by a service ace by Morgan VanderWey put the Belles up set point, and an attack error gave Saint Mary's the opening 25-22 win.
The Belles carried over that momentum into the second set. Up 11-8, Saint Mary's quickly extended the lead to 15-8. The Belles continued to find success on offense as Lukens, Wallace, Pelletier, and Alyssa Chong each had at least four kills in the second stanza as Saint Mary's led by at least five points from that point on in the set. Saint Mary's posted a match-high .361 attack percentage (17 kills, four errors, 36 attempts) in the set.
The third set had much of the same feel as the second set in that the Belles built a 13-8 lead and did not trail during the remainder of the set. In the third set alone, Laura Keating, Lukens, VanderWey, and Chong combined to hit .521 (12 kills, no errors, 23 attempts).
Nicole Lukens led all players with 13 kills and 17 digs as the junior posted a .333 attack percentage on the night. Alyssa Chong added seven kills with just one error on 18 attempts for a .333 attack percentage. Lindsey Pelletier collected seven kills and a pair of block assists. Morgan VanderWey had 34 assists and seven digs, and Audrey Shannon picked up 13 digs on the night.
The Belles (2-4) travel to North Manchester, Indiana this upcoming Friday and Saturday for a two-day tournament. The team opens play on Friday at 6:00 p.m. against Indiana Northwest.