The Buena Vista volleyball team went on the road for the final time in Iowa Conference play on Thursday night at the University of Dubuque and would go on to pick up its 20th win and secure a home match in this year's Iowa Conference Tournament.

"Tonight, these women did something that will never be taken away from them - they made history," said BVU head coach Lori Slight.  "They have grown so much from the first week of preseason until now at the near end."

BVU jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the match after 25-21 and 25-15 victories respectively in the first two sets.  After the Beavers opened a 10-4 lead in the third, Dubuque rallied all the way back to force a fourth set.  BVU then rolled off six of the final eight points of the set to win the match, 3-1.

Sophomore Maddie Bardole led BVU with a match-high 16 kills, to go along with 12 digs and one block assist.  Freshman Jade Schaap was right behind with 15 kills and in the process, went on to break Bardole's single-season record for kills by a freshman (416).  She also added two services aces and a match-high 21 digs.

Fellow freshman Emily Mathews was also in double figures with 10 kills, as BVU finished with 55 kills in the match, as well as a strong .303 hitting percentage.

Freshman Laura Barry dished out 47 more assists and moves into fifth-place on the program's single-sesson list with 1,156 on the year.  She also fell one dig shy of a double-double.

Senior Jordan Henningsen was strong on the defensive end yet again, posting 18 digs, while also chalking up two services aces.

BVU held the Spartans to just a .194 hitting percentage.

"As a coach, I watch them grow and become better volleyball players and amazing women everyday," Slight adds.  "For the first time as the BV coach, I go into each match confident in their abilities as individuals but more confident in their focus as a team.  I could not be more proud of these young women. They are truly amazing and a blessing to me every day!"

The win was the 11th straight overall for BVU (20-8, 5-1 IIAC) and gives the team its first 20-win season since going 26-12 back in 1985.  It's also the first time since 2006 the team has posted at least five conference wins.

In addition, the victory also secures the team a home match in its first IIAC Tournament contest which gets underway on November 4.  The team returns to action again on Tuesday night, October 28, when it hosts a pivotal match against Wartburg College (20-7, 4-2 IIAC).  The winner of that match will get the No. 2 seed in the tournament with the loser going in as the third seed.  Start time inside of Siebens Fieldhouse is schedule for 7:00pm.