STERLING, Kan. – Hanging on to the lead for most of the match, the University of Saint Mary volleyball team swept Sterling College 3-0 (25-21, 25-21, 25-20) inside the Gleason Center Tuesday evening.
The Spires are now 11-9 overall and 2-0 in the KCAC on the season. Saint Mary currently sits in a three-way tie for first place with No. 24 McPherson and Ottawa.
GAME FLOW
Saint Mary built a 14-10 lead in the first set before Sterling tied the score at 18 later on. The Spires would not relinquish the lead however, as they would take the set 25-21 after a kill from Angela Wade.
Sterling would take their first lead of the match in the second set with an early 2-1 advantage. The teams would trade punches, but the Spires got a boost from Wade as she would add five of the team's next seven points off kills – leading to a 20-13 lead for the Spires. Sterling made a small comeback, but Bianca Asheim, Cody Offerle and Cali Odom each added a kill to help Saint Mary to a 25-21 decision.
The Spires continued that momentum in the third set as they jumped out to a 7-2 lead. Sterling would claw back and take a 11-10 lead, but the momentum switched hands late when the Spires broke a 20-20 tie with a kill from Offerle. Offerle would add a second straight kill, while Odom recorded another as Saint Mary scored five straight points to seal the match.
KEY STATISTICS
WHAT'S AHEAD FOR THE SPIRES
Saint Mary continues its KCAC road trip when they travel to Salina, Kan. to take on Kansas Wesleyan University on Saturday. First serve is scheduled for 2 p.m.
