Bison Volleyball Pushes Win Streak to Six with Sweeps of Grove City/Waynesburg
Sept. 26 – WAYNESBURG, Pa. – The Bethany College volleyball team made it six-straight wins as the Green & White captured a pair of straight-set victories on Saturday in Waynesburg. The Bison first defeated Grove City College, 3-0, before taking down the host Yellow Jackets by a 3-0 score.
Bethany opened the day by taking down the Wolverines of Grove City, 3-0. The Bison captured game one, 25-15, before taking games two and three by scores of 25-21 and 25-18, respectively.
The Green & White never trailed in the opening set, using a 5-1 run to open the match. Juniors Alexis Castro (Lorain, Ohio/Lorain) and Dakota McKenzie (Hopewell, Ohio/West Muskingum) each totaled two kills in the early advantage. Bethany would increase their lead to as many as 11 (22-11) before taking the 10-point victory, 25-15.
The closest set of the match came in the second stanza. The two teams found themselves just one point a part midway through the set, with Bethany holding a 16-15 advantage. From there, the Bison outscored Grove City 4-1 to take a four-point lead, 20-16. Four different Bethany players scored a point in the run, which included a service ace from Mackenzie Lauber (Mansfield, Ohio/Madison). The run would prove to be enough distance as the Bison went on for the 25-21 set win.
Bethany once again never trailed in the third and final set, but found themselves tied with the Wolverines, 12-12, after an attack error. Not to be deterred, however, Bethany rattled off nine of the next 11 points to open a 21-14 lead. From there, they would go on to take the set, 25-18, and the match 3-0.
Offensively, Dakota McKenzieefficient, hitting .304 in the three-set match. Dakota McKenzie led the way for the Bison, tallying 11 kills on just 17 attempts, while hitting .529. Julia Mouch (Toledo, Ohio/Sylvania Southview) also hit well, posting seven kills on just 11 attempts. Seven different players for the Bison notched at least four kills, including seven from Dylana McKenzie and six from Castro. Freshman Emily Duke (North Ridgeville, Ohio/North Ridgeville) led the Green & White with 20 assists, while Lauber finished with 17.
DeDakota McKenzieBison totaled 44 digs, led by Mouch and freshman Reilly Parker (Irwin, Pa./Norwin), who each finished with 11. Dakota McKenzie also added six digs while totaling two solo blocks.
In the second match of the day for the Bison, the Green & White swept the Yellow Jackets for the second time in three days. Bethany tallied a 25-15 win in set one before capturing a 25-12 win in the second set. They then went on to win the match by capturing set three by a 25-18 score.
The Bison played hard in the first two sets, never trailing while allowing the score to be tied just once (4-4 in set one). The Bethany defense proved tough for the Yellow Jacket offense as the Bison held Waynesburg to an .057 hitting percentage in the opening set, and a .062 in set two.
Looking to put Waynesburg away in the third set, the Dakota McKenziemselves tied with the Yellow Jackets, 9-9, midway through. From there, however, Bethany stepped on the gas pedal, outscoring the hosts 9-2 to open an 18-11 lead. In the run, Dakota McKenzie posted two kills while Parker and Duke combined Dylana McKenzieervice aces.
Two kills each by Mouch and Dylana McKenzie would set up match point for the Bison, with the winning point coming off an attack error by the Yellow Jackets. The error gave Bethany the 25-18 win in set three, and the match, 3-0.Dylana McKenzieain, the Bison showed balance on the offensive side, with six different players totaling at least three kills. Dylana McKenzie led the way with eight kills while Mouch and Castro notched six, each. The Bison also notched a season-high 14 aces in the win over Waynesburg, led by five from Parker. Junior Allie Powell (Indianapolis, Ind. /Lawrence Central) finished with three aces, while Mouch, Duke and Sumayyah Muhammad (Warren, Ohio/Warren G. Harding) all finished with two, each.
With the pair of sweeps, the Bison put the bow on a perfect 6-0 week that saw the Green & White hold an 18-0 advantage in set wins. Bethany earned five sweeps against conference opponents, moving their PAC record to 6-1 overall.
The Bison will be back in action on Thursday, October 1, as they play host to PAC foe, Thomas More College. The matchup with the Saints is scheduled for a 7 p.m. start.
