Bison clinch No. 1 seed with win over Westminster, 3-0

Andrew Woodley, Sports Information Director

Box Score

Oct. 29 – BETHANY, W.Va. – The Bethany College volleyball team clinched a share of the Presidents' Athletics Conference (PAC) regular-season title with a 3-0 (25-12, 25-14, 25-12) win over Westminster Saturday afternoon on Senior Day.

The Bison improve to 23-11 overall, 16-2 in the PAC, and earn the No. 1 seed and hosting rights in the upcoming PAC Tournament. Bethany receives a bye into the semifinals and will play the winner of the No. 4 Washington & Jefferson/No. 5 Westminster matchup on Friday, November 4 at a time yet to be determined. Thomas More earned the No. 2 seed and will play the winner of the No. 3 Geneva/No. 6 Grove City matchup in the semifinals.

Meanwhile, the Titans fall to 15-16 overall, 8-10 in league play.

Senior Dakota McKenzie (Hopewell, Ohio/West Muskingum) led the Green & White with 15 kills on 31 attacks (five errors) to finish with a .323 hitting percentage. Senior setter Allie Powell (Indianapolis, Ind./Lawrence Central) tallied 41 of the team's 43 assists and freshman Maggie Merren (Oregon, Ohio/Clay) led the defensive efforts with 14 digs in the win.

Bethany finished the match with several blocks, led by senior Dylana McKenzie (Hopewell, Ohio/West Muskingum) who finished with three to go along with seven kills.

The Bison and Titans were tied at six early in the first set, before the Green & White pulled away. Bethany went on an 11-1 run to take a 17-7 lead and cruise to a 25-12 win in the first set.

The second set followed the same script as the first. The score was tied at five when they Bison took command of the set to take a 25-14 win and a 2-0 lead in the match. Senior Arielle Sanders (Maple Heights, Ohio/Maple Heights) put the finishing touches on the second set with a kill from the middle position.

Westminster kept the third set close, trailing 10-7 early, but could not keep up as the game went on. Bethany led 19-12 when the Bison claimed the final six rallies to earn the win and a share of the PAC title.

Westminster was limited to 14 kills, with none of the Titans totaling more than four in the loss. Bethany held the Titans to a negative-.036 hitting percentage in the match.

Prior to the match, the team honored its six senior student-athletes for their contributions to the program, including the McKenzie sisters, Powell, Sanders, Alexis Castro (Lorain, Ohio/Lorain) and Dixie Schultz (California, Ky./Campbell County).

Bethany awaits the winner of the No. 4 Washington & Jefferson/No. 5 Westminster match that will take place in Washington, Pennsylvania on Tuesday, November 2. Stay tuned to bethanywv.edu/athletics for updates regarding the upcoming PAC Tournament.