BU drops five-set match to No. 6 CBU

Box Score

SIOUX CITY, Iowa - Sixth-ranked California Baptist University defeated the No. 21st-ranked Bellevue University volleyball team 3-2 (25-19, 25-10, 23-25, 22-25, 17-15) in the Bruins' opening pool play match Tuesday afternoon at the NAIA Volleyball National Championship at the Tyson Event Center in Sioux City, Iowa.

With the win, the Lancers improved to 30-5 while the Bruins fall to 34-12. 

Kali Schnacker and Ashley Wurdeman each recorded 12 kills apiece to lead the Bruin offense. Jordan Broady tallied a double-double with 38 assists and 11 digs. Defensively, BU was led by Katy Gregory's match-high 19 digs.

After facing an early 9-4 deficit in the first set, BU used a 9-3 run highlighted by kills from four different players, including two by Jaclyn Thorson to take its only lead in the set, 13-12. After a CBU timeout, the Lancers responded by scoring 13 of the final 19 points to take the opening set, 25-19.

The Lancers continued their momentum into the second set, scoring the first four points before taking a 6-1 early advantage. The Bruins cut the Lancers' lead down to 10-6 after a CBU service error, but the Bruins were unable to get any closer in the second set, falling 25-10. BU was plagued by seven attacking errors and hit -.037 in the second set.

The Lancers took the early lead in the third set, 7-3, before an 8-4 BU run, led by two kills from Wurdeman tied the third set at 11-11. CBU regained the lead, scoring five of the next six points to take a 16-12 lead. Once again, the Bruins were able to tie the score, using a 6-2 run to knot the game at 18-all. With the set tied at 22-22, the Bruins scored three of the final four points, capped off by a kill from Schnacker to take the third set, 25-23.

BU once again found themselves in an early deficit, trailing 9-3 to begin the fourth set. After a Bruin timeout, BU used a 13-6 run to take its first lead in the set, 16-15. With the set tied at 18-all, the Bruins ended the set on a 7-4 run to win 25-22 and force a fifth set.  

The Bruins' strong play continued to open the fifth set and raced out to an early 5-1 advantage and force a CBU timeout. The Lancers responded with a 6-2 run out of the timeout to tie the set at 7-all. BU regained the lead, 11-7, with three straight kills and a Lancers' attacking error. CBU came back to reclaim the lead, 13-12, with a 6-1 run. After a service error tied the set at 13-13, the Lancers used a 4-2 run to end the match and take the fifth set, 17-15.

CBU hit .272 for the match while BU finished with a hitting percentage of .152. The Bruins held a slight edge in digs, 67-63.

BU will continue pool play action Wednesday, Dec. 1 with a 3:15 p.m. match against No. 7 Biola (Calif.) University.