Bruins rally past No. 10 Oklahoma Wesleyan to win Pool G

Box Score
Pool Play Schedule/Results
Championship Bracket

SIOUX CITY, Iowa — No. 7 Bellevue University stormed back from two sets down to earn a 3-2 reverse sweep of No. 10 Oklahoma Wesleyan University, 18-25, 20-25, 25-15, 25-19, 15-12, in NAIA National Championship Final Site pool play Friday at the Tyson Events Center. The Bruins improved to 29-4 overall and clinched the Pool G title, while the Eagles slipped to 26-5.

Eve Fountain delivered a season-high 23 kills on .296 hitting and added nine digs and three block assists to pace Bellevue's comeback. Savanna Berger finished with 10 kills on a .292 attack percentage and a team-high four block assists, while Kealy Kiviniemi contributed seven kills, two solo blocks and three block assists. Bentlee Kollbaum added six kills and nine digs, and A'Lailah Perry chipped in five kills and three block assists off the bench. Setters Mila Aiwohi, Jada Nunn and Victoria Runyan combined for 45 assists, led by Aiwohi's 23-assist, 15-dig double-double — her seventh of the season, second on the team behind Fountain's 14 — and 16 assists from Runyan.

Oklahoma Wesleyan countered with three players in double figures in kills. Maia Rubio totaled 19 kills, 10 digs and two block assists, Evelyn Rohrberg posted 18 kills and 11 digs, and Maria Sanra Cruz added 12 kills and three block assists. Iva Mrkaic recorded six kills on .308 hitting and four block assists, setter Sydney Collins distributed 44 assists and 21 digs, and libero Maria Luisa Caycedo anchored the back row with a match-high 24 digs.

How It Happened

Set 1 — Oklahoma Wesleyan 25, Bellevue 18

The first set featured an early back-and-forth stretch before Oklahoma Wesleyan seized control behind its left-side attack. After Bellevue moved in front 8-6 on a Kollbaum kill and a Rohrberg error, the Eagles responded with a 6-0 run on the serve of Caycedo, using three kills from Rohrberg and a pair of Bruin attack errors to build a 12-8 lead. Bellevue closed within 20-18 on a Fountain block and a Kollbaum kill, but OKWU closed the frame on a 5-0 run, highlighted by kills from Rubio and Sanra Cruz and a Bruin attack error, to take the opener 25-18.

Set 2 — Oklahoma Wesleyan 25, Bellevue 20

The Eagles again started fast, racing to a 7-1 lead behind two aces from Rohrberg, a block on Kiviniemi and a Rubio kill. Bellevue answered with a 7-2 stretch to pull within 9-8, fueled by kills from Berger and Fountain and three Oklahoma Wesleyan attack errors, but OKWU rebuilt the margin to 19-13 as Rubio continued to score in transition. The Bruins mounted one more push, using a string of Fountain kills to close within 21-19, before the Eagles finished the set on a 4-1 run. Three consecutive Bellevue attack errors, all on Fountain swings, set up set point, and an Iva Mrkaic kill capped the 25-20 decision and a 2-0 match lead.

Set 3 — Bellevue 25, Oklahoma Wesleyan 15

Bellevue flipped the match in the third set with its most dominant stretch of the night. After the teams traded points to a 3-3 tie, the Bruins generated a 9-0 run to break the set open at 12-3, taking advantage of a string of Oklahoma Wesleyan attack errors and blocks involving Morgan Wale, Kiviniemi and Fountain at the net. The Eagles briefly cut the deficit to 12-7, but Berger answered with a pair of kills, and BU's block continued to force errors as the Bruins pushed the margin to 21-11. Fountain tallied multiple late kills, and a Sanra Cruz attack error on set point closed out the frame, 25-15, to extend the match. Oklahoma Wesleyan hit -.111 in the set with 10 kills and 15 errors on 45 swings.

Set 4 — Bellevue 25, Oklahoma Wesleyan 19

The Bruins carried their momentum into the fourth, using an early 7-2 surge to take control. A Wale kill, an Audrey Sandfort ace and a Kiviniemi termination highlighted the opening run, and Berger and Perry combined on a block to force an Oklahoma Wesleyan timeout at 7-2. Bellevue stretched the lead to 13-5 on kills from Wale and Berger and another Rubio error, then maintained separation as the Eagles drew no closer than four points the rest of the way. Perry provided timely kills down the stretch, and Kollbaum's termination made it 24-17 before BU closed out the set, 25-19, to force a deciding fifth.

Set 5 — Bellevue 15, Oklahoma Wesleyan 12

The final set swung back and forth before Bellevue completed the reverse sweep. The Bruins led 2-0 after an early Berger kill, but Oklahoma Wesleyan responded with a 5-1 run to move in front 5-3 on a Rohrberg kill and a Bruin attack error. Bellevue answered with a 7-1 surge, as Berger delivered multiple kills and Fountain recorded a series of points, including two kill-block combinations on Sanra Cruz, to put BU ahead 10-6. The Eagles closed to 10-9 after a block on Fountain and a Rubio kill, prompting a Bellevue timeout. Out of the break, the Bruins steadied, getting a Kiviniemi kill for a 13-11 lead, and another Berger kill to reach match point at 14-12. Runyan then ended the night with a service ace to finish the 15-12 clincher and the reverse sweep.

Top Performers

Bellevue University

Eve Fountain — 23 kills (.296), 9 digs, 3 block assists

Savanna Berger — 10 kills (.292), 4 block assists

Kealy Kiviniemi — 7 kills, 2 solo blocks, 3 block assists (10.5 points)

Bentlee Kollbaum — 6 kills, 9 digs, 1 solo block

A'Lailah Perry — 5 kills, 3 block assists

Morgan Wale — 3 kills, 4 block assists

Mila Aiwohi — 23 assists, 15 digs, 1 ace (double-double)

Victoria Runyan — 16 assists, 1 ace

Jada Nunn — 6 assists

Oklahoma Wesleyan University

Maia Rubio — 19 kills, .130 hitting, 10 digs, 2 block assists

Evelyn Rohrberg — 18 kills, 11 digs, 2 aces

Maria Sanra Cruz — 12 kills, 3 block assists

Iva Mrkaic — 6 kills (.308), 4 block assists

Sydney Collins — 44 assists, 21 digs

Maria Luisa Caycedo — 24 digs, 1 ace

Inside The Numbers

Bellevue trailed 60–55 in kills but hit .171 as a team compared to Oklahoma Wesleyan's .095, with the Eagles committing 41 attack errors to the Bruins' 23. The turning point came in the third set, when BU held OKWU to 10 kills and 15 errors on 45 swings (-.111) while committing just one attack error. Bellevue's offense steadily improved as the match went on, hitting .216 in the third set and .333 in the fourth after managing .087 and .111 in the opening two frames.

At the net, the Bruins owned a 14.0-6.0 advantage in total blocks, with six block solos and 16 block assists, while Oklahoma Wesleyan recorded 12 block assists and no solos. BU also posted a higher sideout percentage (58.3 percent to 54.5 percent) and outscored the Eagles 72-71 in total points despite trailing in kills, aided by its block and improved efficiency to offset a 5-3 deficit in service aces.

Milestone Watch

All-American outside hitter Eve Fountain climbed to the top of Bellevue University's all-time kills list. Her season-high 23 kills against Oklahoma Wesleyan increased her career total to 1,906, moving her past Sierra Athen (1,886; 2018–22) for the most kills in program history. Fountain also pushed her career dig total to 1,910 and remained at 160 service aces, maintaining sixth place on both lists as she continues to chase Annie Viviano (2,160 digs; 1993–96) and Laura Ohm (173 aces; 1997–00).

Mila Aiwohi now has 2,330 career assists after her 23-assist effort, remaining ninth in school history and moving closer to Kathy Kent (2,439; 1994–95) for eighth. Kealy Kiviniemi's seven kills brought her career total to 1,182, solidifying 16th place on BU's all-time list as she continues to pursue Alicia Oakeson (1,197; 2004–07) and Kia Jarvis (1,221; 1996–97).

Up Next

By winning Pool G, Bellevue (29-4) advances to the NAIA National Championship quarterfinals and will face second-seeded Northwestern (Iowa) College (31-3) at 5:30 p.m. on Saturday at the Tyson Events Center. It marks the fourth time in school history the Bruins have advanced to the national quarterfinals.