BU stuns No. 5 Embry-Riddle in five sets at Nationals

Site: Sioux City, Iowa (Tyson Events Center/Gateway Arena)
Score: Bellevue 3, Embry-Riddle (Fla.) 2
Set Scores: 26-28, 25-20, 18-25, 25-11, 15-13
Records: BU (36-9), ERAU (28-5)
Next BU event: Wednesday, Nov. 28 - vs. No. 8 Hastings – 8:00 p.m.

SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- The No. 23-ranked Bellevue University volleyball team won its 13th-straight match posting a 3-2 (26-28, 25-20, 18-25, 25-11, 15-13) win over fifth-ranked Embry-Riddle (Fla.) Aeronautical University in its opening pool play match of the 33rd annual NAIA Volleyball National Championship Tuesday night at the Tyson Events Center/Gateway Arena in Sioux City, Iowa.

The Bruins improved to 36-9 overall while snapping the Eagles' 18-match winning streak as ERAU fell to 28-5 this season.

Annie Benson led the Bruin attack with a team-high 20 kills while adding 12 digs for her 14th double-double of the season.

Sunny Bell added 14 kills on .346 hitting while Sydney DeBoer recorded 10 kills and six block assists.

Jordan Broady recorded 55 assists, nine digs, seven kills and four blocks while directing the Bruins to a .234 hitting percentage.

Meghan Evans, who set the single-season record for digs in a season, tied a season-high with 28. She also notched 28 digs against Park University on Sept. 7. Beth Walker chipped in 19 digs to help anchor the defense.

Trailing 11-7 in the opening set, the Bruins scored eight-straight points to take a 15-11 advantage. The Eagles responded with a 10-6 run to tie the game at 21-21. The two teams would exchange the next 10 points before ERAU scored the final two points to win, 28-26.

BU found themselves in an early deficit, 4-0, before a 4-1 spurt tied the game at 5-all in the second set. The Bruins continued their momentum and used a 10-4 run to take a 15-9 edge midway through the stanza. The Eagles would score four of the next six points to get within four, 17-13, but that's the closest they got as BU posted a 25-20 win to tie the match at one set apiece.

Once again the Bruins faced an early deficit to start the third set as ERAU scored the first six points. An 8-2 BU run cut the Eagles' lead down to just two, 10-8, but they never got any closer as ERAU took the third set, 25-18.

For the first time all match, the Bruins were able to get off to a quick start in the fourth set, scoring 12 of the first 17 points as BU never trailed en route to a 25-11 win to force a deciding fifth set. The Bruins hit a sizzling .680 in the fourth set.

Trailing 12-7 in the fifth set, BU scored the next six points to take a 13-12 lead. The Eagles scored the next point to tie the game at 13-13 before the Bruins scored the final two points of the match to complete the comeback, 15-13.

EARU was paced by Taylor Martin's match-high 22 kills and eight digs.

The Bruins will continue pool play action tomorrow with an 8:00 p.m. match against No. 8 Hastings College.

BU also avenged a 3-1 (27-25, 25-21, 21-25, 25-12) setback to the Eagles on Oct. 5 in Daytona Beach.