Spires Open Conference Play With Sweep over Avila

Kansas City, Mo.- The University of Saint Mary Volleyball team traveled to take on the Avila Eagles on Wednesday night, resulting in a 3-0 win. The Spires are now 12-4 overall and 1-0 in the KCAC.

Rylee Kenitzer opened the scoring with a kill for the Spires to make the score 1-1. Errors plagued the Eagles, allowing Saint Mary to build a 5-2 lead. A small scoring run from Avila tied things up at 6-6 in the first set. Kills from Keagan Shockley and Renata Dominguez helped the Spires build momentum midway through the set, taking a 17-14 lead. However, the Eagles stuck around, and after a service aces made it 18 all. Kenitzer and Shockley each had kills to put away Avila in set one, 25-20. 

In set two, the Spires went on a 7-1 scoring run, including two kills from Kenitzer and a service ace from Courtney Standley. More errors from the Eagles helped Saint Mary build a 15-4 lead midway through the set. Avila went on a 6-1 run of their own, but it was too little too late as kills by Devyn Ford and Shockley put the Eagles away in set two, 25-15. 

Avila opened the third set with newly found momentum and jumped out to an 8-7 lead. Saint Mary was able to keep up with the Eagle's offensive output. Three quick kills from Shockleyy flipped the momentum in the Spire's favor, making it 15-13. A kill from Kenitzer and more errors from Avila gave Saint Mary what seemed to be a decisive 19-13 lead. However, the Eagles came within two points of the Spires lat in the set. Two kills from Madison Folsom helped Saint Mary complete the three-set sweep of the Eagles. Kenitzer and Shockley combined for 18 kills on the night.

Up Next

The Spires will travel to play York University in their second conference game of the year at 3 p.m. on Saturday in York, Nebraska.