Bethany comes up short in ECAC Quarters loss to Brandeis, 3-2

Andrew Woodley, Sports Information Director

FROSTBURG, Md. (Nov. 11) – The Bethany College volleyball team was defeated 3-2 (25-23, 33-31, 18-25, 25-21, 15-6) by Brandeis in the quarterfinals of the Eastern College Athletic Conference (ECAC) Division III Championships Saturday evening at Bobcat Arena.

THE MATCHUP

• Final: Brandeis 3, Bethany 2 (25-23, 33-31, 18-25, 25-21, 15-6 | Box Score)
• Records: Bethany 23-13 | Brandeis 17-14
• Location: Bobcat Arena | Frostburg, Maryland (Hosted by Frostburg State University)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Bethany went back-and-forth with the Judges in the first set, but could never break through. Brandeis never led by more than three points from the 8-5 mark of the set and held of the Bison for a 25-23 win to claim 1-0 lead in the match.
• The second set was just as close as the first one, as the two teams had very little separating them. Brandeis pulled away for a 21-17 lead and looked to be in control of the set, but Bethany rallied back to tie the set at 23-23. 
• The 23-23 tie score would be the first of nine tie scores over the next 16 points. The Bison were a point away from evening the score on three occasions, but did not push through to notch the clinching point. Eventually, Brandeis rallied back from being down 31-30 to win the set 33-31 and sit one set away from a win.
• The Bison did not show any signs of being letdown from the tough second-set loss and cruised to a 25-18 win in the third set.
• Bethany opened up a 17-5 lead and remained in control even as the Judges attempted a comeback. Brandeis came within seven at 21-14, but the Bison never allowed the Judges to get any closer and sliced the match deficit in half.
• Bethany mounted a rally in the fourth set to even the match. Brandeis held leads of 4-0 and 18-13, before the Bison rallied back. Bethany went on a 7-2 run to tie the set at 20 and scored the set's final four points after being tied at 21 to force a fifth set with a 25-21 win.
• Brandeis held the upper hand early in the fifth set with an 8-5 lead when the teams switched sides on the court. The Judges pressed on and closed the set and match with a 7-1 run to eliminate the Bison from the postseason. 

MATCH NOTES

• Sophomore Katie Sparks (Macedonia, Ohio/Trinity) led the Bison with 17 kills and added four blocks and 25 digs on defense for a kill-dig double-double.
• Senior Sumayyah Muhammad (Warren, Ohio/ Warren G. Harding) wrapped up her career at Bethany with nine kills and a team-best six blocks. Her 227 career assisted blocks ranks third all-time in Bethany College volleyball history.
• Sophomore Lindsey Llewellyn (Vermilion, Ohio/Norwalk St. Paul) ended the match with 10 kills and two blocks for the Bison.
• Freshman Jenna Scott (New Castle, Pa./Liberty Christian) guided the offense with 39 assists to go with a season-high 27 digs for a double-double. 
• Six Bison reached double-figures in digs, with junior Reilly Parker (North Huntingdon, Pa./Norwin) tallying 32 for the Bison in the loss. Parker has already climbed to fourth all-time at Bethany with 1,868 digs in only three seasons.
• Junior Keili Terry (Leesburg, Va./Saint John's) and sophomore Maggie Merren (Oregon, Ohio/Clay) finished with 21 and 20 digs, respectively.