Bruins fall to Trinity Christian, top OLLU

Trinity Christian Box Score
OLLU Box Score
Tournament Website

DES MOINES, Iowa -- Sierra Athen totaled 29 kills and 12 digs in two matches on Friday to help the #20 Bellevue University volleyball team split a pair of matches against Trinity Christain College and Our Lady of the Lake University at the Grand View Tournament.

After falling to (RV) Trinity Christian in the opening match 3-1 the Bruins responded by taking down Our Lady of the Lake University by that same margin, 3-1 (21-25, 29-27, 25-23, 25-19).

BU now stands at 16-7 on the season. Trinity Christian improves to 17-6 while OLLU falls to 9-10.

The Bruins will travel to Crete, Neb. next Tuesday, Oct. 16 for a 7 p.m. non-conference match at Doane University. 

Trinity Christian 3, Bellevue 1

Outside hitters Sierra Athen and Andrea Carson combined for 26 kills, but it wasn't enough as Trinity Christian upset the Bruins in four sets. Athen finished with 15 kills and nine digs. Carson pocketed 11 kills, three digs and a block in the loss. 

The Bruins hit just .128 in the match, committing 28 attack errors. 

The Trolls were led by Kacie Stoll's 15 kills, five digs, and two service aces. 

Olivia Galas dished out 39 assists, while adding 11 digs, for her eighth double-double of the season. 

Defensively, the Bruins' were paced by Madi Evans' match-high 25 digs and three service aces. 

Bellevue 3, Our Lady of the Lake 1

The outside hitting duo of Sierra Athen and Andrea Carson combined on 27 kills to lead the Bruins to a four-set victory over Our Lady of the Lake. Athen hit .176 to go along with three blocks and three digs while Carson attacked at .195 and contributed six digs in the win.

BU was out-hit in the match by a .181-.176 margin but did well to limit errors in overcoming the Saints.

OLLU was led offensively by Tijana Kruta (14 kills, .700 hitting). Bailei Hubbard's 19-kill, 11-dig effort and Anissa Tamez 50-assists, 15-dig evening netted both players double-doubles. Mariza Cardenas also found herself in double figures for OLLU with 11 kills on .258 hitting.

The Saints saw their efforts undermined with their poor serving; OLLU racked up eight service aces but came at the cost of 11 service errors – free points for the Bruins.

Olivia Galas picked up her ninth double-double of the season as she finished with 39 assists and 21 digs on the evening. She added six kills on .313 hitting.

Payton Fehringer (9 kills, .179 hitting) and Shayla Scanlan (6 kills, .174 hitting) also featured prominently in the Bruin attack.

Madi Evans was one of three BU defenders in double-figures with 31 digs. The aforementioned Galas (21 digs) and Reahgan Stueve (11 digs) joined her in double figures.