Bruins sweep Friends in NAIA Opening Round

Box Score

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- Middle blockers Jaclyn Thorson and Maureen Wardian combined for 25 kills and hit a combined .585 to lead the 14th-ranked Bellevue University volleyball team to a 3-0 (25-18, 25-13, 25-21) sweep over Friends University in the NAIA Volleyball National Championship Opening Round Saturday afternoon at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center.

With the win, the Bruins (29-7) advanced to the NAIA Volleyball National Championship final site in Sioux City, Iowa on Dec. 1-5. Friends ends their season at 28-11.

Thorson blasted 14 kills on .591 hitting, committing just one error in 22 attempts. She also added a match-high six blocks.

Wardian was error-free on the night, collecting 11 kills on .579 hitting while adding five total blocks.

Sophomore Kali Schnacker was the third Bruin in double figures, finishing with 10 kills, four blocks and three digs.

Defensively, the Bruins were led by junior Katy Gregory's 20 digs.

Freshman setter Jordan Broady directed the BU offense to a .282 attack percentage while notching her 11th double-double of the season with 42 assists and 11 digs.

The Falcons were led by Courtney McCune's 10 kills and Erin Cooper's 12 digs.

Thorson hit a blistering .800 in the first set with 8 kills in 10 attempts as the Bruins went on a 9-2 run to close the set and break away from a 16-all tie.

Thorson and senior Rachel Muller both registered four kills in the second frame to lead the Bruin attack. Two consecutive kills by Thorson fueled a 7-1 Bruin run midway through the second set as Bellevue cruised to the 25-13 win.

The third set featured 15 ties as neither team could gain control until the Bruins went on a 7-3 spurt to close out the match. Schnacker's five kills paced the Bruins in the final set.

The pairings for the NAIA Volleyball National Championship final site will be announced on Sunday, Nov. 22 at 6 p.m.