Bison Volleyball Overpowers Geneva in PAC Showdown
Oct. 29 – BETHANY, W. Va. – The Bethany College volleyball team wrapped up regular season Presidents' Athletic Conference play with a 3-1 victory over Geneva College on Thursday evening in the Hummel Field House.
The visiting Golden Tornadoes captured the first set of the match, 25-15, before the Bison rebounded to take the next three sets by scores of 25-10, 25-19 and 25-18.
Geneva (25-7, 14-3 PAC), who came into the match as the second-ranked team in the PAC standings, ran out to a commanding 11-0 lead in the opening set. The Bison helped the Golden Tornadoes to the commanding lead, committing six attack errors through the first 11 points. The visitors would go on to take the set by a 25-15 score.
The Green & White would rally in the second set, dominating the game to knot the match at 1-1. With Geneva holding a 5-3 advantage, the Bison would outscore the Golden Tornadoes 7-3 to take a 10-8 lead. Dylana McKenzie (Hopewell, Ohio/West Muskingum) tallied four kills in the run to take what would prove to be the Bison's first lead of the match.
With the hosts still leading by just two points, Bethany would embark on a 10-0 run to take an insurmountable advantage. Senior setter Mackenzie Lauber (Mansfield, Ohio/Madison) notched three aces in the run, while Arielle Sanders (Maple Heights, Ohio/Maple Heights) posted a pair of kills as well as a block. The final point of the run was secured by Alexis Castro (Lorain, Ohio/Lorain), who tallied a solo block to give Bethany a 20-8 lead. The Green & White would then go on to take the set 25-10.
In set three, the Green & White would once again take the lead early, thanks to back-to-back kills from Castro. Bethany would never trail again in the third stanza,Dylana McKenzielead to as many as seven (23-16) on a kill from Dylana McKenzie. The Bison would then take a 2-1 advantage by taking the third game 25-19.
In what would be the decisive fourth set, neither team could push a lead further than four points as the set saw 11 ties and six lead changes. Geneva looked to get the upper hand in the game as Sydney McNulty posted four-consecutive aces in the midst of a six-point run, putting the Bison down four, 16-12 midway through the set.
The Green & White, however, would have the counter as the Bison posted four-straight points, including three consecutive kills by Dakota McKenzie (Hopewell, Ohio/West Muskingum), to knot the game at 16-16.
Tied at 17 all, Bethany would find the strength to power through the Golden Tornadoes, outscoring Geneva 8-1 to take the game, 25-18, and the match, 3-1. Freshman Keili Terry (Leesburg, Va./St. John's) provided the spark over the final five points, posting a trio of service aces, while Sumayyah Muhammad (Warren, Ohio/Warren G. Harding) bookended the run with a pair of kills. Muhammad also tallied the final kill in the match to give the Bison the victory, splitting the season series with the Golden Tornadoes.
Despite hitting -.083 in the opening set, the Bison offense rebounded, hitting .379 in thDylana McKenzied .333 in the decisive gaDakota McKenziedually, Dylana McKenzie totaled 13 kills, while Dakota McKenzie finished with 10. Sanders posted nine kills in the match, with Muhammad and Castro contributing seven and six, respectively. Junior Allie Powell (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) paced the offense with 20 assists, while Lauber and Terry both finished with three service aces.
Defensively, the Bison held the Golden Tornadoes to a .028 hitting percentage in the match. The Green & White totaled 74 digs and 8.0 blocks in the win, led by 26 digs from Reilly Parker (Irwin, Pa./Norwin). Julia Mouch (Toledo, Ohio/Sylvania Southview) finished the game with 14 digs, while Sanders led the Bison's first-line of defense with four total blocks.
Bethany will be back in action on Saturday, October 31 as they travel to Cleveland, Ohio for a non-conference matchup with Case Western Reserve University at 3:30 p.m. Following the matchup with the Spartans, the Bison will compete in the PAC Championship Tournament next week.
