GRINNELL, Iowa (Aug. 29) - The Buena Vista University volleyball team split a pair of matches on Friday night to begin its season while taking part in the opening day of the Grinnell College / Central College Classic.

BVU opened the season by taking on Knox College and would go on to defeat the Prairie Fire in three sets (25-20, 25-19, 25-20) before dropping a three-set match to Cornell College (25-14, 25-19,  25-22).

Freshman Charley Hernandez (12), sophomore Merced Ramirez (12) and sophomore Ashlyne Havermann (10) helped lead the attack against Knox with a strong effort at the net. All three individuals set career-highs in kills with Ramirez going on to record her first career double-double by adding a team-high 19 assists.

As a team, BVU finished the match with a .250 attack percentage which included a .400 mark in the third set. The Beavers totaled 40 kills overall while holding the Prairie Fire to only 16. The Beavers were also aided in the match with eight ace serves.

Defensively, junior Lacie Davis chalked up a team-high nine digs with Hernandez (8) and Havermann (7) right behind.

The Rams came out and held BVU to only six kills and 10 errors in the opening set and used a key 7-0 run that broke an 11-11 tie. Cornell went on to score six of the final seven points en route to the 25-14 win. Cornell held a slim 16-14 lead in the second set before it pulled away by scoring five of the next six points to go in front 21-15 before winning 25-19. The third set was more of the same with the scored knotted at 19-19 before the Rams rolled off three straight points and hang on for the 25-22 victory.

BVU totaled 28 kills in the match but wasn't as efficient as in the opener, finishing with an attack percentage of .089. Hernandez led the way with eight kills to go along with three block and six digs. Havermann followed with seven kills and seven digs as Ramirez dished out a career-best 23 assists.

Buena Vista (1-1) heads down to Central College to play the final two games on day two, starting with Bethany Lutheran at 11 a.m. followed by Calvin College at 1 p.m.