DUBUQUE, Iowa – The University of Dubuque women's volleyball team completed their undefeated A-R-C regular season by defeating the crosstown Loras Duhawks 3-0 (25-21, 25-22, 25-19). With the victory, the Spartans secured the A-R-C regular season championship and will have home-field advantage throughout the postseason as they look to defend their A-R-C Tournament championship from last season.
The first ten points of the match were split evenly between the #20 Spartans (24-3, 8-0 A-R-C) and the Duhawks (6-19, 2-6 A-R-C) until the Spartans took five consecutive points and a 10-5 lead, forcing a Duhawks timeout. The Duhawks managed to keep the set close, with teams trading points until the Duhawks won a 40-touch rally, forcing a Spartans timeout with an 18-17 lead. Out of the timeout, both teams took two consecutive points. With the score 20-19,
Delainey Winkel smashed her sixth kill of the evening and
Ashlyn McGinnis served an ace, leading to a second Duhawks timeout. A block by
Halee Clare made the score 23-19, and the Spartans took the first set 25-21.
The second set began with a block by
Megan Cooley as the Spartans took a 3-0 lead. With a 8-6 lead, three Spartans hitters registered kills, forcing a Duhawks timeout as the Spartans held a 11-6 lead. The Spartans extended the lead to 15-8, but the Duhawks drew back within two, when the Spartans took a timeout defending 17-15 lead. A setter dump by McGinnis and a kill by
Ashley Glennon made the score 24-21 and forced the Duhawks to use their second timeout. The Duhawks took the first point out of the timeout, but Clare registered a kill immediately after and the Spartans took a 25-22 second set victory and a 2-0 lead.
Both squads looked evenly matched to begin the third set, as the score was knotted at three apiece. Kills by Cooley and
Caitlin Jensen helped to build a 7-3 lead, leading the Duhawks to use their first timeout. The Spartans and Duhawks traded points and kills by Winkel and Glennon helped maintain the lead. After a block by Clare and Jensen, the Duhawks used their final timeout of the set as the Spartans built a 20-13 lead. A kill from Glennon ended the final set with a score of 25-19, completing the undefeated A-R-C season and sending the Spartans into postseason play with an exclamation point.
Winkel finished with 15 kills during the match for a .229 hitting percentage. She also added 13 digs during the contest. Jensen hit .429 with seven kills, two service aces, and a blocking assist. Cooley added six kills of her own along with two solo blocks.
Alexis Kammerer led the Spartans with 17 assists, and McGinnis added 15 assists to her season total.
Taylor Bechen notched 33 digs, her highest total during a three-set match of her career.
Up Next
The A-R-C Tournament field is now set. The #1 Spartans and #2 Coe will receive first-round byes, while #3 Simpson will face #6 Wartburg and #4 Central will take on #5 Nebraska Wesleyan in the first round.
The #20 Spartans will host throughout the A-R-C Tournament by virtue of securing the top seed. The Spartans will receive a first-round bye and face the winner of Tuesday's #4 Central/#5 Nebraska Wesleyan match on Thursday, November 13 at 7:00 p.m. inside the Stoltz Sports Center. The winner of the A-R-C Tournament will advance to the NCAA Division III Women's Volleyball Tournament, and the Spartans look to defend their title and secure a national tournament berth for the second straight season.
