Late Surge Lifts No. 24 Taylor Past Pilots
September 23, 2009
After dropping its opening set Wednesday night, the No. 24 Taylor University volleyball team rediscovered its offense to win 3-1 (14-25, 25-18, 25-20, 25-14) over Bethel College for the Trojans' third Mid-Central College Conference victory in as many tries. The win moves Taylor's overall record to 11-2.
Bethel (5-7, 1-2 MCC) looked like the nationally-ranked offensive juggernaut in the opening set after pounding 13 kills for a .385 hitting percentage. Four blocks from the Pilots' front row neutralized the Taylor offense, which finished with a hitting percentage of .000 for the set.
Seeing her first game action since being injured in a match against No. 13 Olivet Nazarene on August 29, Kristen VandeBunte made sure that set two was not a repeat of the opener. The junior middle blocker had four of her career-high seven blocks in the second set to lead the Trojans in a 25-18 win to even the match. Junior Jackie Geile had ten of her team high 17 digs in the second set to anchor the Taylor defense.
On a night where eight different Trojans recorded kills, outside hitter Kelsey Pritchard did her part in the third set with six kills in seven attempts for an .857 hitting percentage. Setter Betsy Brown orchestrated the offense with 16 assists in the 25-20 win.
By the fourth and final set Taylor had reasserted itself as the offensive powerhouse. After building an 8-1 lead early in the game, the Trojans tallied 14 kills and just two errors while closing out the Pilots 25-14.
Pritchard finished the match with 18 kills and a .452 hitting percentage. Recording her second double-double of the season was Geile, who had 13 kills and 17 digs. Freshman Ali Swart matched a season-best with seven kills. Brown finished with a match-high 45 assists.
The 53 kills for Taylor was the second highest total of the season, and the most in a four-set match.
Taylor returns to action this weekend when they travel to the University of Saint Francis (Ind.) Best of the Best Challenge in Ft. Wayne, Ind. The tournament kicks off for the Trojans in a rematch against No. 14 Olivet Nazarene at 3 p.m. Friday.