FORT WAYNE, Ind. – Bethel Women's Volleyball opened with a 26-24 first-set win at Saint Francis (Ind.) on Saturday but couldn't hold the momentum, dropping the final three sets in a 3-1 loss to the Cougars at Hutzell Athletic Center. Alex Brown paced the Pilots with 14 kills on a .310 hitting percentage, and Haley Biedenbach ran the offense with 43 assists.
QUICK FACTS
Location: Hutzell Athletic Center | Fort Wayne, Ind.
Match Results: USF def. Bethel 3-1 (24-26, 25-20, 25-21, 25-23)
Records: Bethel - 7-13, 1-5 | Saint Francis - 6-12, 2-4
NAIA Top-25: BU - NR | USF - NR
MATCH RECAP
SET ONE
- Bethel and Saint Francis traded points through the first half of the set, tying the score seven times before Giuliana Batista's serving run forced three straight Saint Francis attack errors and pushed the Pilots ahead, 10-7.
- Saint Francis answered with a run of its own, tying the set at 20-20 and again at 24-24 as the two teams battled past the 25-point mark.
- Back-to-back kills from Batista, the second off a Haley Biedenbach set, closed out the set for Bethel, 26-24.
SET TWO
- Bethel built an early cushion behind Taylor Delp, whose kill and ensuing service ace pushed the Pilots in front, 15-13.
- Saint Francis pulled even at 15-15 and took control from there, riding kills from Karlee Buschur and Teigen Fortkamp to a 23-19 advantage.
- Madison Dhoore's kill off a Fortkamp set finished off the 25-20 set win for the Cougars, evening the match at 1-1.
SET THREE
- The two teams stayed within a point or two of each other for most of the set, with Taylor Delp's kill tying it at 19-19 late.
- Saint Francis closed the set on a decisive run, capitalizing on a string of Bethel service and attack errors to build a 24-20 cushion.
- Madison Dhoore's kill, ended the set 25-21 and put Saint Francis ahead 2-1 in the match.
SET FOUR
- Bethel opened the set on a 3-0 run and later stretched its lead to 20-14 behind kills from Alex Brown and Addi Byrum and a Haley Biedenbach service ace.
- Saint Francis chipped away at the deficit, tying the set at 22-22 on a Bethel attack error before taking the lead for good on a Teigen Fortkamp kill.
- Fortkamp's final kill, off an Isabel Freese set, closed out the 25-23 set and clinched the match for Saint Francis.
KEY PILOTS
NEXT UP
- 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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