BLUEFIELD, Va. – The Bluefield University volleyball team battled through a tense five-set match to defeat Milligan University, 3-2, Tuesday evening at the Dome Gymnasium in Appalachian Athletic Conference play.
The final set scores were 25-11, 20-25, 25-23, 21-25, 15-10.
The Rams started strong in the opening set, racing ahead early behind a sharp offensive effort led by Rachel Sasson and Morgan Wigg. Bluefield hit .500 as a team in the frame, controlling the tempo and closing with a 25-11 win to grab the early lead.
Milligan responded in the second to even the match at one set apiece, 25-20. The third set swung back in favor of the Rams as Sasson continued to dominate at the pin, registering several key kills down the stretch. Strong defense from libero Eledy Torres helped BU hold off a late Buffalo rally for a 25-23 victory.
The fourth set was tightly contested throughout, with both teams trading runs. Despite multiple kills from Ella Gawellek and Chesed Russell, Milligan pulled away late to force a decisive fifth set with a 25-21 win.
In the final frame, Bluefield seized momentum early with back-to-back kills from Sasson and Wigg. The Rams' defense stood tall as Torres anchored the back line, while setters Izabella Lechuga and Katie Voss distributed the offense efficiently. A final kill by Sasson capped the night and secured the 15-10 set win and the 3-2 match victory.
Sasson posted a career-high 20 kills on a .474 hitting percentage, while Wigg followed with 15 kills, three service aces, and three total blocks for 20.5 points. Gawellek added 14 kills, and Russell chipped in 11. Lechuga tallied 30 assists, with Voss adding 29 assists and four aces.
Defensively, Torres recorded 38 digs, tying her career high and matching the program record she set earlier this season. Lausch contributed 11 digs as Bluefield finished with 78 as a team. The Rams collectively hit .273 with 11 aces and 71 assists in one of their most complete efforts of the season.
BU travels to Montreat College on Thursday, October 24, for a 6:30 p.m. AAC matchup.
