Bethel volleyball avenges tournament defeat against defending KCAC champ Saint Mary
The Threshers won in five sets after their first loss behind strong performances from their middle blockers.
On Saturday, the Bethel volleyball team got a much needed five-set win against Saint Mary after its first loss since Sep. 1 against Kansas Wesleyan earlier in the week. The Threshers lost the first set before bouncing back in both the second and third sets and eventually taking the fifth set by a score of 15-13.
“We spent the week talking a lot about composure,” head coach Adriana Leake said. “My team is made up of some of the most competitive people I know and I think Wednesday [against Kansas Wesleyan] was an important lesson for us. Now I feel like everyone on our team has felt that pressure and now has some actionable things they do when they might be feeling the pressure. I think it paid off on Saturday in such a close match.”
One of many bright spots for the Threshers — who took down the team that ended their season in the 2022 KCAC postseason tournament — was the play of the middles Jordan Boone and Darla Crow, who had big roles on offense and defense against the Spires.
“I believe our middles played phenomenally this past weekend,” Kaity Shima from Topeka said. “Saint Mary couldn’t stop Darla or [Boone] on offense.”
Boone had 11 kills and led the team in blocks with seven while Crow led the team with 17 kills and added six blocks to her nation leading 157.
“Our middles were outstanding,” Leake said. “To have a middle leading in kills says a lot about how great our passing was. Shima did a great job using them & they both did a great job putting the ball away.”
Shima led the team with 47 assists on Saturday and had to step into an unfamiliar role in the front row due to a wrist injury suffered by fellow setter Mia Roman.
“The girls took it in stride and kept rolling,” Leake said. “Shima doesn’t play front row hardly ever and for her to come through with 2 huge blocks in the fifth set sealed the deal. That’s what I love about this team, we just keep growing and taking it one game at a time.
“Our team always steps up to make up the difference when a position is falling short. I’m excited to see how we end conference play, hopefully with everyone clicking at the same time.”
Bethel continues conference play tied for first place with a 7-1 KCAC record. Its next match comes on Wednesday as they travel to Sterling to take on the Warriors with first serve set for 7 p.m.