BU moves to 2-0 with four-set win over No. 23 TWU

Box Score

SAN ANTONIO, Texas -- The 17th-ranked Bellevue University volleyball team moved to 2-0 on the season with a 3-1 (25-19, 25-20, 19-25, 25-19) victory over No. 23 Texas Wesleyan University Friday morning in the Alamo Volleyesta Tournament being played at Mabee Gymnasium on the Our Lady of the Lake University campus. 

Kealy Kiviniemi led the Bruins with 14 kills on .333 hitting while adding three digs and three blocks. Eve Fountain recorded a double-double with 11 kills and 16 digs to go along with a match-high four service aces. Allie Kerns and Sidney Sledge chipped in with 10 kills apiece. 

Taylan Keefer's 24 digs highlighted the Bruin defense. Raeanne Kimoto finished with 10 digs, two assists, and a service ace. 

The Rams were paced by Makenna Gantt's nine kills and five digs. 

Set 1: Bellevue 25, Texas Wesleyan 19

A five-point run midway through the first set propelled the Bruins to a six-point advantage before BU cruised to the 25-19 victory.  The Rams hit just .042 in the opening frame, plagued by eight attacking errors. 

Sledge paced the Bruins in the opener with six kills on .455 hitting. Kiviniemi added four kills on 10 swings as BU hit .188 as a team.  

Set 2: Bellevue 25, Texas Wesleyan 20

Five BU attacking errors helped TWU gain an early 12-4 advantage in the second set. The Bruins responded with a six-point run to claw back to within two points at 13-11. 

A service ace by Jayna Hope sparked a three-point BU run, giving the Bruins their first lead of the set at 15-14. 

Kills by Haley Fleischman and Fountain fueled a 3-0 run, pushing the BU advantage to 20-17. 

Two kills by Fountain helped BU close out the set on a 4-1 run as BU grabbed the second frame, 25-20. 

Fountain led the Bruins in the second with five kills on nine swings. 

Set 3: Texas Wesleyan 25, Bellevue 19

Fueled by a pair of kills from Hannah Rubis, the Rams gained a six-point edge in the third following a 3-0 run giving TWU a 15-9 lead.

After BU battled back to within two points, three-straight Bruin attack errors gave TWU a 21-16 lead. The Rams closed the set on a 4-2 spurt to take the third frame, 25-19. 

Set 4: Bellevue 25, Texas Wesleyan 19

After struggling early in the fourth frame, three Bruin kills, and a service ace by Mila Aiwohi keyed a 6-0 BU run to give the Bruins a 12-10 advantage. 

Bellevue extended the lead to 21-15 following a 3-0 run highlighted by kills from Kerns and Fleischman. The Rams never got closer than five points the remainder of the set as BU closed out the match with a kill by Fleischman. 

Kiviniemi had five kills and a pair of digs in the final frame.  

Up Next:

The Bruins return to action in the tournament later today with a 5 p.m. match against Loyola University New Orleans.