STORM LAKE, Iowa (Oct. 26, 2022) - Senior Hannah Smith had a career night with 19 kills and 19 digs to help lead the Buena Vista volleyball team back from a 2-0 deficit to knock off visiting Nebraska Wesleyan on Wednesday night in the final regular season match.

The win secured the Beavers a No. 3 seed into next week's American Rivers Conference Tournament and is the program's highest regular season conference finish since it tied for third in 2017.

Smith was one of three seniors recognized prior to the match and saved her best match for when it mattered most. She surpassed her previous best in kills (15) set just last Friday during the team's win at Luther. Her 19 digs were a team-high and surpasses her previous high of 17 set earlier this season against Bethany Lutheran. Rachel Brockney followed with 14 kills while Courtney Johnson added 10. As a team, BVU posted a season-high 59 kills. Senior Taylor Wedemeyer dished out a season-high 50 assists and moves into third-place on the program's all-time career list. She now has 2,534 career assists and is 64 away from reaching second.

Molly Bense added 15 digs while Brockney notched her 14th double-double of the year with 13 digs. Molly McCauley chipped in with six service aces as BVU turned in 10 overall. Skylar Cole fell one kill shy of reaching double figures while also assisting at the net, defensive, with a team-leading four total blocks.

The Prairie Wolves came out and hung on late in the opening set to take a 25-22 victory. BVU battled back from an early 6-1 deficit to tie it up at 10-10. It was later tied at 18-18 before NWU squeaked in front 22-19 and would hang on from there. The Beavers rolled off four straight points in the second set to build their largest lead at 10-7 before NWU fought back to tie it at 13-13. From there, the Prairie Wolves scored five of the next seven points to go in front 18-15. The Beavers pulled within 22-20 before NWU scored the final three for the 25-20 win.

NWU led 7-6 in the third set before a service error sparked a 9-0 BVU run that gave the Beavers a 15-7 cushion. McCauley had three of her six service aces during that stretch. NWU would not go away, however, clawing back to 18-15. After the Beavers extended it to 21-16, the Prairie Wolves rolled off six straight points to go back ontop 22-21. NWU then faced match-point at 24-22 before another key serving error kept BVU alive, and Smith made them pay with back-to-back kills before an attack error by the Prairie Wolves gave BVU the 26-24 victory.

BVU rolled off five straight points midway through the fourth set to lead 18-10 and never looked back. NWU did get back as close as 20-18 but McCauley closed the set with a block that gave the Beavers a 25-22 win.

It was all Beavers in the decisive fifth set as they jumped out to a quick 10-2 lead thanks to seven straight points which included three kills apiece from Brockney and Cole. It never got any closer from there, and BVU capped the comeback with a 15-7 win.

Buena Vista closes out the regular season at 11-11 overall (5-3 A-R-C). The Beavers will host No. 6 Simpson College (13-11, 4-4 A-R-C) on Tuesday, October 1, at 7:00 p.m., in the opening round of the A-R-C Tournament.