Bruins upset No. 25 Ottawa, 3-0

Box Score

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Freshman Sierra Athen and senior Shayla Scanlan combined for 23 kills to lead the Bellevue University volleyball team to a 3-0 (25-18, 26-24, 25-19) victory over Ottawa (Kan.) University Thursday night in non-conference action at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center. 

Athen recorded a match-high 13 kills while adding six digs and three blocks. Scanlan pocketed 10 kills on .368 hitting and added five blocks. 

Andrea Carson collected eight kills on 15 errorless swings for a sizzling .533 hitting percentage, as the Bruins outhit the Braves, .292 to .116.

BU also held a 45-37 advantage in digs and an 11-4 edge in total team blocks.  

Olivia Galas dished out 34 assists and added seven digs, three kills, and a block. 

Fabiola Aviles led the BU defense with nine digs. 

OU was paced by Kenna Hall's 13 kills, four digs, and two blocks.  

The Bruins led the entire first set, outhitting the Braves, .323 to .075. Athen and Scanlan each produced three kills in the opening set and Coree Lipovsky registered three blocks as BU cruised to the 25-18 win. 

The second set featured eight ties and four lead changes with neither team leading by more than three points the entire set. After a kill by Ayona Tharps gave the Braves a 23-21 lead, the Bruins score three straight, capped by a solo block from Rosa Reed-Bouley on Hall to give BU set point at 24-23. A kill from Hall knotted the game at 24 before BU responded with a kill by Athen and a block by Athen and Lipovsky on Hall, giving the Bruins the set at 26-24. 

With the third set tied at 19-19, Athen's kill and serving run sparked a 6-0 scoring spurt as BU closed out the match with the 25-19 victory. 

The Bruins will host a pair of matches on Friday at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center, taking on conference foe Dickinson State at 3 p.m. followed by a non-conference matchup with Saint Mary (Kan.) at 7 p.m.  USM and DSU will play each other at 5 p.m. Friday night.