Bethel volleyball dominates in home-opening games
Bethel volleyball dominates in home-opening games
Threshers go 3-0 on the week in their first home action of season.
The Thresher volleyball team got off to a strong start at home this year, dominating teams in the familiar Thresher Gym. The Threshers went 3-0 in their opening home games last week, sweeping Cottey College on Tuesday and beating College of the Ozarks and Randall University in their triangular on Saturday.
Bethel had big weeks from their hitters at home, making them hard to defend against. Freshman Cameron Offerle accumulated 27 kills over the week and fellow freshman Alayna Vines had 12.
“I felt like Alayna really found her rhythm on the right side this weekend, she was a middle in high school,” said head coach Adriana Leake. “I moved her to the right because we had such solid options in middle, but I knew she needed to be on the court. … I felt like this weekend it really clicked and I was happy to see her get some really big swings along with her big blocks.”
Another freshman who has been making waves this season has been middle blocker Darla Crow. Crow has been a frightening presence for opposing hitters so far this season, leading the entire NAIA in total blocks through 16 games for the Threshers.
Crow earned her second KCAC defender of the week honor of the season after her performance of 17 blocks last week. Senior Kaity Shima also picked up KCAC setter of the week with 62 assists on the week, averaging 6.2 assists per set and having two 20-plus assist games.
The Threshers find themselves sitting at a 9-7 record and on a five-game win streak after these home games.
“It's really fun to be home, especially for three good wins,” senior Harlie Hunton said. “I love the Bethel spirit in the student section. The past three weekends we've been out of state so it was really refreshing to play in front of familiar faces and see the joy we brought to the gym.”
Bethel will finish up non-conference play this week in hopes of continuing their success.
“I asked the girls this week to be excellent teammates — holding each other accountable for positional responsibilities throughout the match and celebrating each other's successes, and to be intentional about the discipline it takes to play an entire match well,” Leake said. “Not just games one and two. I felt like they achieved that.”
The Threshers will take on William Woods and Haskell in a triangular in their final non-conference matches on Sep. 15 in Lawrence, Kan. with games slated to begin at 5 and 7 p.m.