GRINNELL, Iowa (Aug. 31, 2024) - The Buena Vista University volleyball team was right back in action on the opening weekend of play for a pair of matches on Saturday morning. The Beavers dropped a tough five-set thriller to St. Mary's Univ. (MN) to begin the day before Bethany Lutheran swept BVU, 3-0.

After dropping the opening set versus the Cardinals, 25-20, the Beavers appeared to be in control of the match by picking up 25-14 and 25-13 victories in sets three and four. St. Mary's, though, never backed away and outlasted BVU 25-19 in the fourth set before rallying from a four-point deficit in the fifth to win 15-12.

Buena Vista led 10-6 in the final set before the Cardinals rolled off seven straight points to go in front, 13-10, and was able to hold off the Beavers over the final points.

Sophomore Hope Vanderlinden led the Beavers with 11 kills as fifth-year senior Rachel Brockney followed with nine kills to go with seven digs. Kyla Vaughn chipped in with eight kills while Jadyn Rausch tallied six kills, 24 assists and five digs. BVU finished the match with a season-high .141 attack percentage while holding the Cardinals to a .027 clip.

Buena Vista faced match-point with a 24-21 lead in the opening set against the Vikings but Bethany Lutheran would rally and stun the Beavers by rolling off five straight points for a 26-24 victory. It was nearly a similar set-up in the second set with BVU clinging to a 23-22 advantage only to see the Vikings close out the match with three straight points to win 25-23. The third set was tied 13-13 before the Vikings used a 12-2 surge to close out the match and finish the sweep.

Vaughn had a team-high seven kills for BVU on only 17 total swings for a .353 attack percentage. Brockney and Vanderlinden were next in line with four kills with Brockney also earning two of the team's five ace serves. Rausch finished with 16 assists and seven digs. Madison Thomas registered a career-high 14 digs to lead BVU with Merced Ramirez adding a career-high nine.

Maddie Meyer had 10 kills on 13 attempts to help lead Bethany Lutheran which improved to 3-0.

Buena Vista now stands at 1-3 on the season and will now prepare for its home opener on Tuesday, Sept. 3, against Grinnell College. Varsity action begins at 6 p.m. inside of Siebens Fieldhouse with JV to follow around 7:30 p.m,