STORM LAKE, Iowa(Oct.  7, 2026) - Sophomore Charley Hernandez turned in a match-high 16 kills and added 13 digs and two ace serves to  help lead the Buena Vista volleyball team to a hard fought  3-0 sweep of visiting Neb. Wesleyan on Wednesday night in what was the American Rivers Conference opener for both teams.

Hernandez came up big down the stretch in the opening set for the Beavers, recording her seventh kill of the opening set to pull the team even at 25-25. She then went to the serving line and notched one of her two aces for a 26-25 lead before the team then captured the 27-25 victory after an attack error by the Prairie Wolves.

Neither team led by more than three points in either of the first two sets. It was back-and-forth in the second with NWU building an 18-15  lead and forcing a BVU timeout. The Prairie Wolves came out of the break with a serving error and that gave BVU a bit of momentum. The Beavers later rolled off three straight points, including a kill from Hernandez and a serving ace by Anabel Seaman that made it 22-21. NWU tied it at 22-22 before back-to-back kills from Sydney Meints and Nora Konz put BVU in front 24-22 before an attack error ended a set for the second straight time.

BVU came out strong in the third and built a 15-9 lead which was the largest by either team on the night. The Prairie Wolves didn't back down and would slowly pull their way back within 15-13 before the Beavers responded back with two straight points to extend the cushion back to four. NWU again fought back withing 18-17 before  Hernandez later put BVU up to match point with her final kill of the night. The Prairie Wolves scored two straight points to keep the match alive before a serving error ended the match at 25-22.

Konz finished with eight kills, a match-high 14 digs and two ace serves while Meints chipped in with six kills, six digs and an attack percentage of .364. The Beavers didn't have their most efficient night offensively but still turned in 41 kills and a .162 percentage. The team came into the match ranked second in the NCAA in kills per set and leading in attack percentage.

Junior setters Merced Ramirez and Anabel Seaman dished out  16 and 12 assists, respectively, with Seaman also adding a match-high four ace serves.

Buena Vista remains perfect on the year at 14-0 (1-0 A-R-C) and briefly steps out of conference play on Friday, Oct. 9, to compete in the Crown College Triangular. The Beavers will face Emmaus University at 5 p.m. followed by Crown College at 7 p.m.