Women's Volleyball | 3/19/2021 9:53:00 AM

STORM LAKE, Iowa - The Buena Vista volleyball team will step foot onto the court one final time during this COVID-19 shortened season on Saturday afternoon when the Beavers host the University of Dubuque in a 2:00 p.m. American Rivers Conference showdown.
 

THE MATCH-UP 
Who: Dubuque (4-4, 4-3 A-R-C) at Buena Vista (3-4, 3-4 A-R-C) 
When: Saturday, March 20, 2021 |  2:00 p.m. 
Where: Storm Lake, Iowa  |  Siebens Fieldhouse
 
Live Video  |  Live Stats 

INSIDE THE SERIES 
Since the 2003 season, BVU has gone 15-7 against the Spartans, including wins in three of the last four match-ups...Dubuque captured a 3-2 win on its home court in 2019...Five of the last seven meetings between the two sides have resulted in five-set thrillers...BVU has won three straight over the Spartans inside Siebens Fieldhouse and four of the last five.
 
LAST 5 MATCH-UPS 
11/05/19  Dubuque 3, Buena Vista 2   |  Dubuque, Iowa 
10/12/19  Buena Vista 3, Dubuque 0   |  Storm Lake, Iowa  
10/05/18  Buena Vista 3, Dubuque 2   |  Dubuque, Iowa
10/07/17  BuenaVista 3, Dubuque 2    |  Storm Lake, Iowa 
10/08/16  Dubuque 3, Buena Vista 2   |  Dubuque, Iowa 
 
ABOUT THE SPARTANS
Dubuque came into the adjusted season as the coaches preseason favorite to win the league title after going 22-11 overall, finishing third in the regular season at 5-3, but then going on and winning the conference tournament title.  The team had four starters and three all-conference selections set to return this season despite losing three starters from a year ago.  Junior Darby Hawtrey has helped lead the charge by averaging 3.21 kills/set and has 16 total blocks a season after earning Second Team all-conference accolades.  Kate Mession, who was also a Second Team selection in 2019, has split time with Kaylynn Murray as setter.  Murray leads with 125 assists with Mession right behind at 119.  Julie May sits third on the team in kills/set (2.42) while leading the way in ace serves with 12 and in total blocks with 19.  Mary Kate Willie has chalked up 5.10 digs per set, defensively.  As a team, Dubuque ranks fourth in the A-R-C this season in both attack percentage and opponent attack percentage.  Since beginning the year with three straight losses, including conference setbacks to both Simpson and Loras, respectively, the Spartans have caught fire as of late with consecutive 3-0 victories over both Central and Luther, respectively.  The team has also picked up a thrilling five-set victory over Wartburg, who was last season's regular season champion.     

ABOUT BUENA VISTA 
The Beavers got back on track in a big way on Wednesday night with a commanding 3-0 triumph inside Siebens Fieldhouse over Simpson College.  Prior to that victory, the team had suffered four straight defeats after a promising 2-0 start to the shortened campaign.  The team is hitting .154 overall with opponents posting a similar .163 percentage.  Sydney McLaren, who had a match-high 10 kills during the sweep of the Storm, moves up to fifth in the league this season in kills/set at 3.25.  She has five double-doubles through the first seven matches.  Freshman Rachel Brockney is next on the team at 2.13 kills/set and is coming off a season-best .385 attack percentage with seven kills against the Storm.  Fellow freshman Bailey Schmidt matched a career-high seven kills and had just one error on Wednesday night and is averaging 1.73 kills/set overall.  Brockney is also second on the team in blocks per set (0.38) just behind freshman Skylar Cole's 0.55.  Junior Jade Hays is leading the way with 4.29 digs/set with McLaren right behind at 3.46.
 
ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE NET
The match is the final outing of the season for the Beavers.  Due to the COVID-19 shortened season, it was voted before the season that there would be no A-R-C Tournament played.  There is no NCAA DIII Tournament for any fall-to-spring sports being held.