WICHITA, Kan. – The University of Saint Mary volleyball team took their long winning streak to Wichita, Kan. on Saturday where they were able to sweep Friends University, 3-0, but fell to Tabor College at 3-1.

The Spires are now 11-10 overall and 11-10 in the KCAC.

Haydan Heuermann also set a milestone in the match against the Falcons, by eclipsing 1,500 career assists.

Friends Game
Although they won the match the Spires got off to a slow start in the first set of the day being down 10-6 at one point. The score then went back and forth a few times in the middle part of the set. Then late in the set they found their rhythm and took a commanding five point lead and carried that momentum to finish the set by a score of 25-19.

The Spires had another hard fought early second set as the score went back and forth leaving Saint Mary with only a three point lead. The Spires lead then grew by four with the Spires only needing five more points to finish the set. Then Friends began to crawl back, but it was too little to late as the Spires finished the second set winning 25-23.

Then in the final set the Spires changed gears and began to dominate Friends to take a decisive early lead, sparked by a Jessica Malizzi kill. The lead grew to seven points at one point but Friends would not die as they crawled back coming within three points late in the set. That did not phase Saint Mary as they finished the set and match winning again 25-23.

Malizzi led the team with 12 kills, while Haydan Heuermann added 38 assists. Keishla Reyes added 11 digs.

Tabor Game
The first set against Tabor was a hard fought battle all the way to the end. After multiple lead changes throughout most of the set, the Spires took the lead at 17-16 and never looked back winning by a score of 25-17.

The second set was a different story for the Spires as they had to fight back the entire set. Tabor took an early five point lead that the Spires could not recover from. They would drop the second set 25-15.

In the third set the Spires played hard once again staying neck and neck with the BlueJays early. The Spires offense was once again sparked by a Malizzi spike and after a close early set, Saint Mary had a two point lead over Tabor at 18-16. The Spires could not hold on as the Blue Jays rallied to top the Spires 25-22.

The Spires started the fourth set off strong taking an early 9-6 lead. Tabor then rallied to tie it up at ten a piece moving into the middle part of the set where the Spires once again fought hard to stay in the game. Saint Mary could not keep up with the BlueJays late in the set and would lose the match in four sets by a score of 3-1.

Rylee Kenitzer had 10 kills in the match, while Heuermann added 33 assists. Emma Prothe added 12 digs and Reyes had 11.

Up Next
The Spires take on Sterling College on Monday in Sterling, Kan. at 6 pm.