Spires Bested By Bulldogs in Five Sets

Leavenworth, Kan.- The University of Saint Mary Women's Volleyball team hosted the McPherson Bulldogs on Saturday, resulting in a 3-2 loss. The Spires are now 18-9 overall and 6-5 in the KCAC.

Saint Mary seemed to have taken control early in the first set, but the Bulldogs fought hard to pull in font with the score at 16-12. The Spires flexed their offensive output, going on a 13-5 run. Rylee Kenitzer had three of the last six points in their 25-22 set one victory.

After two quick points to start set two, McPherson went on a 7-1 run to take a four-point lead. The Spires managed to string together two extended runs of their own, with critical kills coming from Kenitzer and Madison Folsom. However, Saint Mary dropped the second set 27-25, tying things up at one game apiece.

Despite starting the third set down 7-2, the Spires stuck around after capitalizing on service and attack errors by the Bulldogs. Saint Mary eventually took the lead after a kill from Kenitzer made it 17-16. The Spires would be able to take this game away and ended up winning the set 26-24. McPherson matched the Spires every step of the way up until Folsom and Devyn Ford willed USM to a 26-24 third-set victory. 

In set four, both teams remained neck and neck, with the score tied at seven. Unfortunately, The Bulldog's offense caught fire and ended up taking the fourth set 25-15. McPherson's offense picked up right where it left off in the fifth set, building an 11-5 lead at one point. The Spires tried to get back into things with a kill from Folsom, but Saint Mary dropped the final set 15-9.

Up Next

The Spires will be at home to take on Ottawa on Wednesday at 7 P.M. in another KCAC match-up in the Ryan.