In a hard-fought opening set against Arizona Christian University (ACU), the Benedictine University Mesa Redhawks started strong with an early kill by
Railey Druxman, assisted by
Vivianna Galvan, to take a 1-0 lead. Both teams traded points in a back-and-forth battle, with key kills from
Gracelynn Nez and
Amanda Klotz, and a crucial block by
Kylie Bartel and Klotz keeping the Redhawks ahead. Despite the set being tied multiple times, Benedictine surged ahead with kills from Druxman and Bartel. A service ace by
Annika Wallace extended the lead to 16-11, but ACU fought back to tie it at 19-19. Benedictine took control late, with a block from Nez and Klotz giving them a 21-19 edge. ACU's rally fell short, and a service error secured a 25-23 win for the Redhawks in the first set.
Benedictine displayed resilience in the second set, overcoming an early deficit to secure a commanding 25-15 victory. ACU initially took control, capitalizing on Redhawk errors to lead 6-2. However, a timeout refocused the Redhawks, and they responded with kills from Nez and Bartel to close the gap. Bartel's powerful serves and attacks turned the tide, as Benedictine went on a scoring run, taking a 9-9 tie to an 18-9 lead. Contributions from
Hailey White,
Megan Hicks, and Druxman extended the lead further, and Bartel's dominant play sealed the set.
In the third set, Benedictine started strong but faced a tough challenge from ACU. Early kills from Carling and solid blocking by Bartel and Klotz helped BENU take a 5-3 lead, and a service ace from Setka and more kills from Bartel and Hicks pushed the lead to 9-4. Though ACU fought back to close the gap, Benedictine capitalized on attack errors and blocks from Carling and Druxman to maintain control. However, a late surge from ACU tied the score at 23-23. Despite a kill from Druxman putting Benedictine ahead 24-23, ACU closed the set with a 26-24 win.
Benedictine bounced back in the fourth set, dominating ACU for a decisive 25-15 victory. After falling behind 1-0, the Redhawks quickly regained control with kills from Carling, Bartel, and Druxman. Strong blocking from White and Carling helped extend their lead. ACU struggled to find rhythm, while Bartel and Druxman continued to power the Redhawk offense. Benedictine closed out the set with a series of kills from Bartel, sealing the match with a convincing win.
Key Performers:
Looking Ahead: The Redhawks will face Justice College on Monday, October 21st, in an away game at 6 PM.
