STORM LAKE, Iowa (September 15, 2021) - Playing in front of fans for the first time since the fall of 2019, the Buena Vista University volleyball team played its first home match of the season on Wednesday night by hosting No. 16 Wartburg College in what was the American Rivers Conference opener for both sides.

The crowd was vocal and the match was intense from the opening serve.  The two teams went back-and-forth for nearly the entire opening set until the Knights broke things open with a 9-3 surge that broke a 13-13 tie and sent them to a 25-18 victory.  It was all Wartburg in the second set, as the Knights had 15 kills and no errors to send them to a 25-8 triumph.

BVU wasn't about to back down after the rough set, and came through with a thrilling 25-23 victory in the third.  The Beavers fell behind 9-3 early in the third and continue to trail 14-7 midway through before coming back to life.  Senior Sydney McLaren had five kills alone during an 11-3 run that gave BVU its first lead at 18-17.  It was later tied at 20-21 before the Knights went in front 23-22.  A kill from Taylor Wedemeyer, followed by a service ace and a kill from McLaren sent the Beaver faithful into a frenzy.

The Beavers carried their momentum over into the fourth set, leading 4-3 out of the gate but Wartburg scored five of the next six points to take an 8-5 lead.  A 7-0 run later in the set widened the margin and made it difficult for BVU to claw itself  back in and the Knights (9-0, 1-0 A-R-C) would win the set 25-15 and the match.

"It was not the outcome we were going after tonight, but I'm very proud of the fight in our ladies," said BVU head coach Rosie Aumann.  "As a whole, the team responded well after that second set but came up short in the end.  Hannah Smith had a great game.  And the fans, they were awesome and I thank them all for showing up."

McLaren led the way with her fourth double-double of the year, notching a team-leading 14 kills and 10 digs.  Smith was next at eight kills and also had one service ace and a pair of digs.  Kaylee Nosbisch had three service aces and nine digs while Jade Hays chimed in with nine digs and one ace.  Taylor Wedemeyer did her part with 28 digs, two ace serves and six digs.

Buena Vista is now 5-3 overall (0-1 A-R-C) and will look to bounce back on Friday, September 17, when it steps out of conference play for a non-conference tilt at Bethany Lutheran starting at 7:00 p.m.