Red Wolves Fall to Bellevue in NAIA Opening Round
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Indiana East (27-9) | 19 | 26 | 17 | 27 | 1 |
|
Bellevue (NE) (25-9) | 25 | 24 | 25 | 29 | 3 |
BELLEVUE, Neb. – The Red Wolves women's volleyball team battled but fell 3-1 to Bellevue in the NAIA Opening Round on Saturday, 25-19, 24-26, 25-17, 29-27.
The loss ends the season for IU East, giving them a 27-9 overall record.
Teah Barrett Matthews led the team with 16 kills on 34 attempts. Jessica Swimm was also in double figures with 12. Reece Shirley had a game-high 44 assists.
The Bruins led for most of the first set to grab the 1-0 lead. They also had the second set in control before the Red Wolves made a run late in the set to steal the set. Trailing 18-13, IU East went on a 4-0 run to cut the deficit to one. Two errors, a kill by Swimm and a service ace from Summer Hendershot accounted for the four points. The Bruins were able to get their lead back up to three points as late as 22-19. The Red Wolves would later tie the score 23-23 but Bellevue grabbed the 24th point and broke the tie.
Facing set-point, the Bruins next served hit the net to help the Red Wolves tie the score at 24-24. Bickel followed with a service ace for the 25th points and Payton Schultheis's kill gave them their 26th and set-clinching point.
Just like in the first set, the Bruins were able to lead most of the set and cruised to a second point.
In the fourth set, the Red Wolves started the set off with a 3-0 run. Loretta Pelkington started off the set with a kill and Shirley scored the third point with a kill. The Red Wolves would extend their lead to 8-3 before Bellevue called a timeout. The Red Wolves would lead until the Bruins went on a 5-1 run to grab a 14-13 lead. The Red Wolves were able to regain the lead but the Bruins kept it close and tied the set multiple times.
Tied 23-23, the Bruins next serve didn't find the court and it gave the Red Wolves a 24-23 lead, one point away from forcing a fifth set. But the Bruins were able to score the next two points and have match point at 25-24. This time, it was the Red Wolves who scored the next two points. Barrett Matthews tallied a kill and Brooke Lepper's service ace gave IU East a 26-25 lead. Bellevue tied it 26-26 but the Red Wolves regained their 1-point lead after Schultheis tallied another kill for the 27-26 lead.
Unfortunately for the Red Wolves, that was the last point they would score with the Bruins scoring the next three to punch their ticket to the final site.