Wildcats Take the First of Back-to-Back Matches with the Swedes, 3-1

LINDSBORG, Kan. - Facing its third opponent from the KCAC this year, Baker volleyball rolled to a 3-1 victory over Bethany on Tuesday night in Lindsborg, Kan. in the first of back-to-back games between the two non-conference teams.

After falling in set one, 25-21, the Wildcats rattled off three straight wins on scores of 25-21, 25-15 and 25-17 to pick up their first road win of the season and third win over a KCAC team.

Meredith Brown, Kylie Murray and Aby Widhalm led the BU attack with all three of them recording double-digits kills with Brown tallying a team-high 12 kills, while Murray and Widhalm had 10 apiece. Kierstyn Harmon totaled at least 20 assists for the third time this season after finishing with 22.

The Wildcats turned in another great night from the service line as well, posting exactly 10 aces for the third straight match.

In the opening set, Kate Reese used the first of her three aces in the contest to tie the match at 4-4 before the Swedes reclaimed the lead and maintained a three-point cushion throughout most of the set. With the score tied at 21, the Swedes connected on four straight points to take the first frame.

Bethany controlled a slight advantage early in the next set as well, leading by three before back-to-back kills from Widhalm and Kierra Hipple and another BU ace put the Wildcats on top, 12-11.

Reese fired off a set of aces to extend Baker's lead and, following a Swedes rally, the Wildcats were able to win the second set with a balanced attack that featured kills from Brown, Hipple, Widhalm and Olivia Deichmann.

The Wildcats really found their groove in the third set with Murray pounding out three straight kills to put BU up by two. Brown and Widhalm each logged a couple of kills as well as Baker worked itself up to a six-point advantage before Murray's fourth attack of the set sealed the third for BU on the largest lead of the night at 25-15.

Leading for the first time in the match, Baker carried the momentum over to the fourth where they stormed out to a 10-3 lead with Brown and Murray both registering two kills to fuel the run. After Grace Wood's ace gave BU a six-point lead, Murray and Deichmann closed things out with back-to-back kills to cap the 3-1 victory.

Three Wildcats finished with double-digit digs with Emma Grossoehme (16), Kennedy Bryan (15) and Harmon (10) all recording at least 10 digs in the match.

With Baker holding bragging rights after the first game, the two teams will run it back later this week as the Wildcats host Bethany for a Friday night matchup on Sept. 6 at 6 p.m. in the Collins Center.

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