Broncos Wrap Up HC Classic with Second Win
(Hastings, NE) – The women’s volleyball team put together another winning performance on Saturday night in the final event of the Hastings College Classic, knocking off Kansas Wesleyan in four sets (22-25, 26-24, 25-23, 25-22).
(Hastings, NE) – The women's volleyball team put together another winning performance on Saturday night in the final event of the Hastings College Classic, knocking off Kansas Wesleyan in four sets (22-25, 26-24, 25-23, 25-22).
The Broncos built a big lead in the first set at 17-9 with three kills each from junior Ilse Benne and freshman Klarissa Dowdy, but the Coyotes stormed back into it and evened up the set at 22. Hastings would win the next point on a kill from sophomore Makenna Sutter, but three straight kills by the Coyotes put them up 1-0 after set one.
Set two was the exact opposite with Kansas Wesleyan going up 7-2 early on. Trailing 8-5, Hastings won six straight on two kills from Benne, an ace by freshman Fran Warson and three Coyote errors to go up 11-5. The Broncos would not trail throughout the rest of the set, although Kansas Wesleyan kept it close.
Leading 21-20 in set two, Hastings won three straight points by two Coyote errors and a Sutter kill, then after the Coyotes rallied to tie it up at 24, Sutter came up with a kill and senior Alexis Pontine closed the set at 26-24 with an ace to even it up at one set apiece.
Both teams traded the first 10 points until the Broncos surged to a 9-5 lead, thanks to two aces from Warson, as well as two assists from Warson to Benne for kills. Hastings built their lead up to five on three separate occasions in the third set, but each time the Coyotes were able to make a run. Leading 23-18, Kansas Wesleyan tied it up at 23, but a kill from sophomore Kaleah Olson and a Coyote error gave Hastings the third set and a 2-1 lead.
The fourth set was similar to the third set for Hastings, as they built an 8-3 lead before the Coyotes pulled ahead 10-9. The Broncos responded with a 4-0 run and nine of the next 11 points to go up 18-12. Kansas Wesleyan got within one late at 23-22, but a Coyote blocking error and a kill by junior Camryn Ringsdorf, who had all three of her kills in the fourth set, from Pontine ended the match, 25-23.
Benne led the Hastings attack with a game-high 18 kills, along with 11 kills from Sutter. Warson delivered 29 assists, in addition to four aces, and Pontine chipped in with 20. In digs, sophomore Lainey Benson had a team-high 16, while O'Neill and sophomore Hailey Whitmarsh each had 15. Dowdy led the match in blocks with four, including two solo.
Up next, Hastings will compete in the College of Saint Mary Labor Day Classic in Omaha, NE on Aug. 29 and 30, with two of their four games taking place on Friday. In their first game at 12pm on Friday, they will play #1 Indiana Wesleyan - the reigning two-time national champions - who recently lost in five sets to #4 Concordia. Later in the day at 4pm, they will take on Oklahoma Panhandle State, who they lost to in four sets in their season opener.
