MISHAWAKA, Ind. – Bethel Women's Volleyball opened their match against Goshen with wins in the first two sets before the Maple Leafs forced a decisive fifth with back-to-back wins of their own, but the Pilots closed it out 15-9 to escape with a 3-2 Crossroads League win Saturday at Gates Gymnasium. Liberty Pierson led Bethel with 14 kills, and Haley Biedenbach ran the offense with 38 assists.
QUICK FACTS
Location: Gates Gymnasium | Mishawaka, Ind.
Match Results: Bethel def. Goshen 3-2 (25-7, 25-20, 21-25, 16-25, 15-9)
Records: Bethel - 7-11, 1-3 | Goshen - 1-14, 0-4
NAIA Top-25: BU - NR | GC - NR
MATCH RECAP
SET ONE
- Bethel opened with a burst that included back-to-back service aces from Haley Johnson, building a quick 11-1 lead.
- The Pilots kept the pressure on throughout, with Ary Searle and Liberty Pierson stringing together kills to keep Goshen from ever climbing back into range.
- Bethel closed out the set on a 6-0 finishing run, capped by kills from Ary Searle and Anna Richer, to take the opener 25-7.
SET TWO
- Goshen flipped the momentum early, with Carle Bruggema and Carmin Corey combining on a service run that built a 16-9 lead and forced a Bethel timeout.
- Bethel answered in stretches on kills from Ary Searle and Taylor Delp, both set up by Haley Biedenbach, clawing all the way back to tie the set at 17-17.
- The Pilots pulled ahead for good down the stretch and sealed the 25-20 win on a block from Biedenbach and Delp.
SET THREE
- Bethel and Goshen traded points deep into the set, with the score tied eight separate times, including a deadlock at 16-16.
- Goshen broke the tie behind a Carle Bruggema service run that pushed the lead to five points and forced another Bethel timeout.
- Goshen's offense, led by Carmin Corey and Emese Southwick, held off a late Pilots push to close out the set 25-21.
SET FOUR
- Bethel and Goshen traded points early, staying knotted at 10-10 before Goshen's offense took over.
- Sami Lard and Carmin Corey led a run that built an 18-12 Goshen advantage and forced a Bethel timeout of its own.
- Goshen cruised from there, closing out the set 25-16 to even the match at two sets apiece.
SET FIVE
- Bethel came out swinging, jumping to a 5-1 lead on kills from Anna Richer and Liberty Pierson and prompting an early Goshen timeout.
- Goshen clawed back within two points on multiple occasions, but Bethel's defense and a string of Ary Searle kills kept the Pilots in front.
- Bethel closed out the match on a 15-9 finish, with Haley Biedenbach serving the final points to clinch the 3-2 win.
KEY PILOTS
NEXT UP
- The Pilots face IWU on Wednesday at 7:00 PM.
- Live Stats can be found HERE.
- Live Video can be found HERE.
NEXT HOME MATCH
- The Pilots return to Gates Gymnasium on September 23rd against Grace at 6:00 PM.
- Live Stats can be found HERE.
- Live Video can be found HERE.
- Tickets can be found HERE.
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