Wartburg Athletics
WAVERLY – The No. 10 Wartburg Knights volleyball squad defeated Augsburg University and Gustavus Adolphus this evening on day one of the Wartburg Invitational.
The Knights defeated the Gusties of Gustavus in four sets, winning 25-18, 21-25, 27-25, 25-14. Sweeping the Auggies, the Knights posted scores of 25-19, 25-19, 25-15.
How It Happened vs Gustavus
The Knights opened the first set on a 10-4 run as five different Knights recorded early kills. The first set would be a battle as the Gusties came within one at 16-15 before a Zaiah Quirk kill set the Knights on a 9-3 run to grab the first set.
The second set proved to be a battle as the Knights and Gusties kept a close set. After the Gusties jumped out to a 13-7 lead, the Knights responded with eight unanswered points to take the lead at 15-13. The Gusties responded on an 8-2 run as the Knights fell in the second set.
With three early kills from Kennedy Meister, the Knights took an early 5-0 lead in the third set. Meister, Quirk, and Kylie Bildstein all recorded kills as the Knights found an offensive rhythm in the set. The Gusties would tie the set late and force extra points to decide the set winner. Bildstein teamed up with Jayme Willemssen for a block as the Knights finished the set on a 3-1 run.
The Gusties jumped out to a 7-4 lead in the fourth set before the Knights answered on a 6-1 run, taking an early 10-8 lead. The two-point deficit would be the closest the Gusties would get as the Knights found the offensive rhythm and won the fourth set, led by kills fromBildstein, Meister, and Quirk.
The Knights and Gusties faced off in the first match of the season, with the Knights winning a five-set battle at the Saint Mary’s Sugarloaf Classic.
Willemssen and Bildstein recorded a pair of kills early as the Knights took a 6-2 lead. The Knights extended the lead to five on a pair of kills from Bildstein and Meister at 11-6 lead. The Auggies would fight back to take a 16-15 field before tying the game with the Knights three times.
Tying the match several times early in the second set as the Auggies took an early 11-7 lead over the Knights. Back-to-back kills from Bildstein put the Knights back in action as the Knights started a 9-2 run, retaking the lead at 16-13. The Auggies would come as close as one as the Knights held off late attacks from the Auggies and ended the set with a Natalie Clayberg and Quirk kill.
The Knights took an early 10-6 lead in the third and final set of the evening, as Claire Marsh connected with Nell Sybesma for an early kill. The Auggies fought back to be within one twice as a service error by the Auggies gave the Knights a two-point advantage. The Knights started on a late 11-3 run as they would go on to win their fifteenth match of the season.
The Knights defeated Augsburg at the Augsburg Invite in straight sets and repeated that action this evening.
Against Gustavus, the Knights recorded 51 kills on 192 total attacks, with a hitting .203. Quirk led the Knights with 15 kills, while Willemssen recorded five blocks in the match.
The Knights had 46 kills from 117 attacks for a hitting percentage of .308 against Augsburg.Bildstein led the Knights with 11 kills, while Marsh led blocks, assists, and digs for the Knights.
The Knights jumped six spots in the AVCA poll released on Sept. 21, now sitting in the No. 10 spot. The Knights defeated UW-La Crosse, who received votes in this week’s poll, at the UW-La Crosse Invitational last weekend. The Knights posted straight set victories over Hamline, UW-La Crosse, and Elmhurst at the tournament.
Foster earned her third straight A-R-C Defensive Player of the Week honors, following an outstanding performance at the UW-La Crosse Invite. Foster tallied 86 digs, with 29 digs being recorded against UW-La Crosse. This was Foster’s nineteenth honor.
The Knights continue action tomorrow morning, taking on Augustana on 10 a.m. and Carleton at 12 p.m.