MILWAUKEE, Wis. - The Bluffton University volleyball team continued its hot play with sweeps of Maranatha Baptist and Ripon on Friday, Sept. 6, 2024. The Beavers have won six straight and stand 6-1, equaling their victory total from 2023!

Maranatha Baptist was no match for Bluffton in the opener as it managed just 27 total points in three sets (8-8-11). Sophomore Kallie Durbin (Toledo/Toledo Christian) and senior Kennedy Parker (Lima/Central Catholic) both smacked six kills. Durbin hit .556 with just one error on nine swings as Bluffton finished with 38 kills to just 10 for Maranatha.

Sophomore Ella Taylor (Urbana) handed out 10 assists while junior Mariana Ickes (Van Wert) picked up a team-high seven digs as Coach Yarnell rotated his roster freely throughout the night. Taylor also led the way with four service aces.

Ripon put up a little more resistance in the nightcap, but the Beavers still dominated (15-16-12) with a second convincing sweep.

Junior Jenna Woods (DeGraff/Riverside) did not register an error, hitting .478 with 11 kills on 23 swings! Chloe Sample (Springfield/Catholic Central) and Kasey Sager (Troy) pounded eight and six winners, respectively, with Sager hitting .455 against Ripon.

Gabby Williams (West Liberty/West Liberty-Salem) was back at command central and she doled out 23 assists to go along with her four kills and five digs. Fellow sophomore Abby Lawhorn (Cable/Mechanicsburg) did the dirty work with a dozen pickups and Sager was in on four blocks.

Bluffton is back at the Blue Angel Bash for day two on Saturday, Sept. 7. The Beavers take on Lawrence at 12:45 PM before the final matchup of the weekend against host Mount Mary at 3:30 p.m.

-BEAVERS-