Benedictine Battles in Four-Set Contest Against Northwest

Benedictine University Mesa went toe-to-toe with Northwest University (WA) in a hard-fought match, ultimately falling in four sets (23–25, 25–23, 20–25, 21–25). The Redhawks showed resilience throughout the night, pushing the Eagles in nearly every frame and showcasing strong performances from their key hitters.

After falling behind early in the opening set, Benedictine rallied behind Railey Druxman, Sophie Drollinger, and Camille Collins to grab a 13–9 lead. Collins added back-to-back service aces to keep the Redhawks rolling, but Northwest responded late with a surge at the net to edge out the 25–23 win.

The Redhawks answered in the second set. Druxman's steady hitting, paired with Drollinger's offense and Collins' serving pressure, helped Benedictine take control. Janae Moore and Vivianna Galvan contributed key plays at the net, while Adina Ortiz anchored the defense. Northwest fought back to tie it late, but the Redhawks closed strong to secure the 25–23 victory and even the match.

In sets three and four, Benedictine continued to battle, with Druxman and Drollinger delivering big swings and Collins and Moore adding timely kills. Galvan distributed the offense effectively, while Ortiz brought energy off the bench. Despite their efforts, Northwest built momentum down the stretch and pulled away for the match win.

Redhawks Battle Dordt in Three-Set Clash

Benedictine opened strong and pushed Dordt University in each frame but ultimately fell in three tightly contested sets (26–28, 17–25, 20–25).

The opening set was a back-and-forth battle. Druxman and Drollinger sparked the Redhawks to a 10–8 lead, and later an 18–16 advantage with help from Janae Moore. Collins and Drollinger delivered clutch kills to force extra points, but Dordt held on for a 28–26 win.

In the second set, Moore and Druxman gave Benedictine an early 7–6 lead, and Julia Hodges added a service ace. Dordt countered with a long run behind Laney Wolfswinkel's serving and Ellie Dokter's hitting, pulling away for a 25–17 win.

The Redhawks fought to extend the match in the third set. Druxman and Drollinger fueled a rally to close within 13–17, and late kills from Collins and Drollinger narrowed the gap to 19–23. Dordt, however, remained steady and secured the final set 25–20.

Key Performances

• Railey Druxman – Game 1: 22 kills, .313 hitting, 2 aces, 8 digs | Game 2: 13 kills, .360 hitting, 1 ace, 8 digs

• Sophie Drollinger – Game 1: 15 kills, 4 aces, 10 digs | Game 2: 20 kills, .316 hitting, 1 ace, 5 digs

• Vivianna Galvan – Game 1: 39 assists, 10 digs | Game 2: 23 assists, 1 ace, 9 digs

Looking Ahead
The Redhawks return to action Saturday, August 23, with two matches at the Summer Slam hosted by Hope International. Benedictine will face Bushnell at 8 a.m. before taking on Simpson at 4 p.m.