Bison Volleyball Honors Seniors With Tri-Match Sweep
Oct. 17 – BETHANY, W. Va. – On a day in which they honored their seniors, the Bethany College volleyball team (22-8, 11-3 PAC) posted a pair of victories in convincing fashion. The Bison defeated Grove City College, 3-0, before taking care of Franciscan University, 3-0, on Saturday afternoon.
The Green & White opened the tri-match by defeating Grove City College in straight sets. The Bison won the first set 25-16, before taking sets two and three by scores of 25-21 and 26-24, respectively.
The opening set was knotted at 6-6, before the Bison used a 5-1 run to open a four-point advantage (11-7). Sumayyah Muhammad (Warren, Ohio/Warren G. Harding) tallied an ace in the run, while Dylana McKenzie (Hopewell, Ohio/West Muskingum) notched a pair of kills. The Green & White never looked back from the four-point advantage, winning the set 25-16.
The Green & White found themselves trailing 8-6 early in the second set, before embarking onDylana McKenzieoint run to retake the lead. Once again, it was Dylana McKenzie and Muhammad combining for all of the Bethany points as McKenzie totaled a pair of kills and Muhammad and ace. Bethany would run their lead in the set to as many as four (16-12) on a kill from Dakota McKenzie (Hopewell, Ohio/West Muskingum) before going on to win the set by the same advantage (25-21).
Set three had the most intrigue of the afternoon as the decisive set saw 16 ties and siDylana McKenzie The Bison and Wolverines sat deadlocked at 24-24 late in the third set before the Bison put the match away. A Dylana McKenzie kills gave Bethany a chance at match point, and the game was won on an ace by freshman Keili Terry (Leesburg, Va./Saint John's). The Green & White took the set, 26-24, and the match, 3-0.
Offensively, the Bison were led in the match by junior Alexis Castro (Lorain, Ohio/Lorain), who had one of the most efficient matches by any Bison this season. Castro tallied 13 kills while mDylana McKenziers on 21 attempts. Her .619 hitting percentage was the best by any Bethany player this season with a minimum of 12 kills.
Other offensive leaders for Bethany included Dylana McKenzie and Arielle Sanders (Maple Heights, Ohio/Maple Heights). McKenzie finished with a team-high 14 kills, while Sanders totaled 10 on the day. Senior setter Mackenzie Lauber (Mansfield, Ohio/Madison) notched 21 assists while junior Allie Powell (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) finished with 15.
The second match of the day was once again all Bison, as the Green & White defeated non-conference opponent, Franciscan University, in straight Dylana McKenzieMcKenzie-21, 25-16).
In the win over the Barons, Dakota McKenzie was the bright spot, tallying 15 kills while hitting .458 on the day. As a team, the Bison hit .297, with both Julia Mouch (Toledo, Ohio/Sylvania Southview) and Dylana McKenzie adding seven kills to the cause.
Defensively, the Bison held Franciscan to a -.042 hitting percentage, led by 15 digs from freshman libero Reilly Parker (Irwin, Pa./Norwin).
Prior to the team's matchup with Franciscan both Mouch and Lauber as well as former player and current student manager Bethany Pohjala (Lima, Ohio/Shawnee) were honored during senior day festivities.
The Bison will be back in action on Thursday, October 22, when they travel to Washington, Pa. to take on the Presidents of Washington & Jefferson College. The matchup between conference opponents is scheduled for a 7:00 p.m. start.
