After a slow start and a 25-21 loss in the opening set, the Buena Vista volleyball team was able to fight back and grind out a thrilling 3-1 victory over visiting Dubuque on Tuesday night to begin the Iowa Conference Tournament.

The Beavers jumped out to an 8-3 lead to start the second set and was able to hold off the Spartans who had come all the way back to tie the set at 10-10.  The Beavers rolled off three straight points to take a 19-16 lead late and never let Dubuque back within two en route to a 25-21 victory.

Dubuque led from the outset of the third set, including a 13-8 advantage before BVU caught fire and came back to even things up at 13-13.  The Beavers then took the lead at 14-13 and extended it 19-15 after an ace serve from Jordan Henningsen.  Dubuque tried to rally late, getting within 23-21 before the Beavers won the final two points for their second straight 25-21 triumph.

It was all BVU in third set as the Beavers posted 11 kills and a .450 hitting percentage for the set, as they opened a 15-5 lead and never looked back while taking the set and the match with the 25-11 victory.

"This team is amazing," said BVU head coach Lori Slight after the victory.  "There were certainly points early on especially that weren't pretty, but this team never gives up, and when the wheels go down the right track, this team can just simply knock people off guard."

Freshman Jade Schaap turned in a match-high 25 kills and a .375 hitting percentage, to go along with seven digs and one block assists.  Her second kill of the night made her just the second player alongside teammate Maddie Bardole to reach 500 kills in a single season.  Bardole, in fact, hit a milestone of her own in the match, posting 15 kills and becoming just the third player to reach 1,000 kills in her career.

"How often do you have two players like that set those two milestones in the same match," Slight added.  I give the credit to them.  The team gets it started with its passing, then there's the quality set, but those two have put the ball down on the floor so well all year.  They are both special players, but this team is special in itself."

Celie Kohls added 10 kills on 17 attempts while adding five total blocks.

Freshman Laura Barry put her name atop the record books as well, dishing out 50 assists and giving her 1,393.  She came into the match needing only 23.  It marks the seventh time this season that she has reached the 50-assist plateau.

Henningsen is chasing the single-season digs record and came into tonight needing 38.  She pulled herself much closer after tonight's outing, picking up 20 in this match to lead all players, as Bardole and Sydnee Donnelli followed with 15 apiece.

The win gave BVU its first Iowa Conference Tournament victory since 2003 and was also the team's first postseason triumph in Siebens Fieldhouse since 2002.

"I'm just elated for what these players have accomplished," Slight later added.  "We can certainly fix some things, and if we go into Wartburg focused and relaxed, a spot in the championship match could be in the palm of our hand."

Dubuque wrapped up its season at 12-24 while the Beavers improved their overall mark to 24-10.

The quest for a championship moves to the semifinal round as BVU will now travel to second-seed Wartburg College and play the Knights in a rematch of last Tuesday's match in Storm Lake where BVU lost a 3-2 heartbreaker.  Match time for that match is scheduled for 7:00pm.