WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. - The Bluefield University women's volleyball team swept Andrew College, 3-0, in its season opener before falling to nationally-ranked Cumberlands in the final game of the day.
After the split, BU moves to 1-1 on the young season.
Game One: Bluefield 3 – Andrew College 0
Set 1
The Fighting Tigers (0-2) struck first in the season-opening set, but the Rams responded with a 5-0 run spearheaded by three service aces from sophomore outside hitter
Faith Alsup to lead 5-2. Freshman right side
Ryann Marsh swung for her first career kills as part of a 4-0 swing to grow the lead to 9-4 in favor of BU. After trading points midway through the frame, Bluefield pulled away late with miscues from Andrew College and a pair of kills from junior right side
Scarlett Hulse, 18-10. Senior middle hitter
Ella Gawellek kept the Rams ahead amid a Fighting Tigers run, with a block by Hulse and sophomore outside hitter
Jaden Bradley sealing a set one win, 25-22.
Set 2
The second game of the contest featured back-and-forth action to start, but a five-point spurt saw BU grab a 12-5 lead. Gawellek and Alsup paced the start of the set, each registering multiple kills. An ace from sophomore defensive specialist
Sienna Vitelli sparked another Bluefield rally, claiming a 21-9 edge. An Andrew College attack error capped an 11-2 scoring run as BU drew within one set of the match, 25-11.
Set 3
With the third and final frame locked at six early on, Hulse and junior middle hitter Paige Bette fronted a five-point swing to hold a four-point lead, 10-6. With the Fighting Tigers chipping away at the deficit, Gawellek clutched up, totaling six kills in BU's final 12 points to earn a season-opening sweep by a score of 25-22.
Match Stats
Gawellek led all players in the game with 12 kills while hitting .333. Alsup filled up the stat sheet with 11 kills, four aces, and eight digs. In support, graduate setter
Izabella Lechuga logged 19 assists and four digs while sophomore setter
Kylee Sturgill notched 14 assists. Vitelli led the way defensively with 17 digs and added a pair of aces.
Game Two: #10 Cumberlands 3 – Bluefield 0
Set 1
Alsup and Gawellek were active early in game two, keeping BU within striking distance, 6-5. Hulse and Alsup added two more kills that made the score 10-7 in favor of the Patriots. Alsup swung for her third kill of the frame and Vitelli added another, but Bluefield was unable to keep up and dropped the first frame.
Set 2
A kill from Alsup and back-to-back service aces from Hulse sprung the Rams ahead 3-0 in set number two. Alsup, Hulse, and Gawellek added kills throughout the frame, but the attack from the nationally-ranked Patriots was too much as Cumberlands grabbed a 2-0 lead in the match and eventually claimed a 3-0 win.
Match Stats
Alsup led BU with six kills. Hulse chipped in offensively with a pair of kills and aces. Vitelli logged a team-best seven aces while Lechuga and Sturgill had four assists each.
The Rams return home to host WVU Tech at the Dome Gymnasium in their home opening contest Tuesday at 6:00 p.m.
