Box Score DUBUQUE, Iowa (Oct. 18, 2025) - The Buena Vista volleyball team was right back in action on Saturday afternoon for an American Rivers Conference match at Loras College but the Beavers saw the Duhawks rally late and dropped a heartbreaking five-set thriller (23-25, 25-18, 25-27, 25-23, 15-13).

BVU freshman Charley Hernandez turned in a match and career-high 22 kills to lead the way for the Beavers and finished with only three errors and a .285 attack percentage. The Glenwood, Iowa, native completed her eighth double-double by adding 19 digs. Sophomore Ashlyne Havermann also recorded a double-double with 10 kills and 19 digs. Junior Sydney Meints and sophomore Keylee Gregg both matched Havermann with 10 kills. Freshman Faith Fitzgerald dished out a career-best 27 assists while senior Olivia Gordon added 22. Sophomore Merced Ramirez turned in a career-high 27 digs.

Loras (6-15, 2-3 A-R-C) was led by Autumn Finch and Sophie Younkin who each turned in 16 kills. The Duhawks held a slight 68-61 edge in overall kills and had a .216 attack percentage.

In the opening set, BVU led 24-21 late but had to hold off a late surge by the Duhawks who had pulled within 24-23 to win the set 25-23. The Beavers held a 14-11 lead midway through the second set before Loras then went on to score eight of the next 10 points and lead 19-16 while going on to tie the match at 1-1 with a 25-18 victory.

BVU did bounce back and went up 2-1 in the match after holding off the Duhawks who faced set point at 25-24 to roll off three straight points to win 27-25 after back-to-back kills from Havermann and Gregg.

The Beavers led 14-11 midway through the fourth set and continued to stay in front at 16-14. It was back-and-forth down the stretch until the Duhawks gained momentum and took a 20-17 lead. BVU didn't back down and fought back to pull even at 20-20 but Loras rolled off two straight and never looked back en route to the 25-23 win. 

Going after their first A-R-C win of the year, the Beavers pulled in front 11-7 in the winner-take-all fifth set but Loras clawed back with four straight points. Hernandez put the team back in front 13-12 but back-to-back points from Loras put them in the driver's seat, and the Duhawks went on to win 15-13.

Buena Vista is now 6-13 overall (0-5 A-R-C) and will step outside of conference play on Tuesday, Oct. 21, to host Concordia-Moorhead at 6 p.m. before playing at Martin Luther on Saturday, Oct. 25.