Bruins tie for MCAC title with two sweeps

Southwestern Christian Box Score
Oklahoma Wesleyan Box Score

BELLEVUE, Neb. -- The 24th-ranked Bellevue University volleyball team claimed a tie for the MCAC regular season title with a pair of sweeps over league opponents Saturday at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center. The Bruins swept Southwestern Christian 25-7, 25-12, 25-13 and Oklahoma Wesleyan 25-12, 25-17, 25-11 to finish 15-1 in league action, tying College of the Ozarks. 

The Bruins (31-11) earned the MCAC Tournament top seed and will face fourth-seeded College of St. Mary at 8 p.m. on Friday, Nov. 12 in the semifinals of the MCAC Tournament at the Gordon Lozier Athletic Center. Second-seeded College of the Ozarks will battle third-seeded Peru State College at 6 p.m. in the first semifinal.

The championship match is scheduled for 1 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 13.

Bellevue 3, Southwestern Christian 0

The Bruins hit a .500 as a team and never trailed in any of the three sets en route to the decisive 25-7, 25-12, 25-13 victory over Southwestern Christian. Juniors Kali Schnacker and Ashley Wurdeman both collected nine kills in the win. Schnacker hit .900, while Wurdeman attacked at a .692 clip.

Freshman Annie Benson added eight kills and eight digs in the win. Freshman rightside hitter Courtney Hendricks had a career high seven kills on .462 hitting.

Defensively, the Bruins were led by Katy Gregory with 13 digs. She also added six assists and two kills. Senior Kylie Davis and sophomore Jordan Broady combined for 39 assists with Davis setting the final two sets.

Bellevue held a 5-0 advantage in total team blocks and a 7-0 margin in service aces.

Bellevue 3, Oklahoma Wesleyan 0

Benson led the Bruins with 13 kills on .600 hitting, while Schnacker hit .714 with 10 kills on 14 errorless swings. Schnacker did not commit a hitting error in the two matches.

Jacklyn Thorson added eight kills on .700 hitting as the Bruins hit at a .495 clip as a team.

Gregory once again led the Bruin defense with 12 digs. Broady dished out 42 assists, while adding five digs, two blocks and a pair of kills.