Box Score San Marcos, Calif. – In a thrilling sports showdown, the second-seeded Benedictine Mesa delivered the Firebirds (29-3) a 3-2 defeat with a closely contested scoreline of 23-25, 26-24, 15-25, 25-20, 16-14.
A closely contested first set set the stage for an intense match, featuring nine ties and three lead changes. While the Firebirds briefly held a four-point lead at 23-19, Benedictine Mesa fought back, narrowing the gap to 24-23. A crucial Redhawk attack secured a 25-23 victory for BenU.
In the second set, Benedictine commanded an 8-3 lead. BenU then regained an 11-8 advantage over USK after three serve aces from the Firebirds. However, USK energized to tie the score at 11, and the teams traded points until the score reached a deadlock at 20. The Redhawks managed to put together four consecutive points, ultimately securing the set with a 26-24 advantage.
The third set was dominated by USK, as the Firebirds outperformed the Redhawks with a hitting percentage of .324 to .132. Despite initially trailing 12-10, USK amounted a 15-3 lead to clinch the set.
In the fourth set, the match returned to closely contested scores, with Benedictine maintaining a slight edge throughout. The Firebirds managed to narrow their deficit to two points at the 22-20 mark, but BenU's
Courtney Ely's three consecutive kills proved crucial in securing a 25-20 victory for Benedictine Mesa.
In a crucial fifth set, Benedictine continued to maintain an advantage for the majority of the frame, with USK managing to level the score at 6-6 and later at 10-10. The Firebirds then got their first lead at 12-11, only for the Redhawks to regain the upper hand at 14-12. Benedictine secured the final two points to claim the fifth set with a 16-14 victory taking the win against the Firebirds 3-2.
The Redhawks have officially earned their spot in the NAIA Women's Volleyball Championship. Congratulations! The complete match details and the schedule for the opening round is set to be unveiled this upcoming Monday, November 13, at 12:00 p.m. PST.
