BU earns sweep over Marian to open NAIA Nationals

Box Score
Pool Play Schedule/Results

SIOUX CITY, Iowa -- Three Bruins recorded double-figure kill totals as the fifth-ranked Bellevue University volleyball team earned a 3-0 (25-23, 25-22, 25-13) sweep over Marian (Ind.) University to open pool play action at the NAIA Volleyball National Championship being held at the Tyson Events Center. 

With the win, the Bruins improved to 30-3 on the season, extending their win streak to 16 matches. 

Marian moved to 24-9 overall. The Knights will play the University of Providence at 10 a.m. on Thursday in their next pool play action. 

Eve Fountain led the Bruins with 13 kills on .370 hitting while adding two digs and two blocks. Sidney Sledge hit .647 with 12 kills on 17 swings. Kealy Kiviniemi finished with 11 kills, a block, and a dig. Savanna Berger registered eight kills on .500 hitting to go along with four blocks. 

Taylan Keefer anchored the BU defense, finishing with a match-high 15 digs, as BU held the Knights to a .176 hitting percentage. 

Mila Aiwohi (23) and Victoria Runyan (17) combined for 40 assists while directing the BU offense to a .305 hitting efficiency. 

Mikayla Christiansen paced the Knight offense with 10 kills on .333 hitting while adding six digs. Madison Brooks and Khori Dryden chipped in with eight kills apiece.  

Set 1: Bellevue 25, Marian 23

Ignited by a pair of kills from Berger and two service aces by Keefer, the Bruins used a 7-0 run early in the first set to gain a 10-4 advantage. After BU extended the lead to eight points following a kill by Fountain, the Knights reeled off three straight to cut the deficit to five at 17-12. Capped by a kill from Christiansen, Marian tied the set at 21-all following a 7-1 run. After trading the next four points, a kill by Fountain and a service ace by Mila Aiwohi gave the Bruins the opener, 25-23.

Kiviniemi led BU in the first frame with five kills on 12 swings. Berger and Fountain added four kills apiece. Brooks, Christiansen, and Dryden all had four kills for the MU offense in the first. 

Set 2: Bellevue 25, Marian 22

The Knights raced out to a 6-2 lead in the second frame as BU had three early attacking errors. Bellevue responded with five of the next six points, highlighted by kills from Berger and Sledge and a service ace by Runyan to knot the set at 7-all. Neither team led by more than two points the remainder of the set until BU closed the frame on a 4-1 run to take the set, 25-22. 

Fountain paced BU in the second with six kills. Christiansen and Dryden had four kills each for the Knights.  

Set 3: Bellevue 25, Marian 13

Aided by three MU-hitting errors and kills from four different Bruins, BU grabbed an 8-3 advantage to open the third stanza. Marian responded with three straight to close the gap to two points at 8-6, following a service ace by Emerson Evans. After kills by Christiansen and Gabby Fish made it a one-point contest, the Bruins went on a 4-0 serving run by Fountain to build a 14-9 margin. After scoring the next two points, the Knights never got closer than three points for the remainder of the frame, as BU cruised to the 25-13 victory, scoring the final six points of the match. Berger was part of three blocks in the final five points to highlight the close of the match. 

With only one attack error, the Bruins outhit Marian .469 to  .000 in the third set.  

Up Next:

The Bruins will conclude Pool Play action on Friday, Dec. 6, with a 10 a.m. match against No. 12-seeded University of Providence (Mont.).