Leavenworth, Kan.— Spire volleyball fell 3-0 to the No. 5 ranked McPherson College Bulldogs in KCAC volleyball action Wednesday, October 7th, at Ryan Sports Center. The Spires challenged McPherson with rallies in the first two sets before dropping the match 25-21, 25-18, 25-13.

Kaylee Kindall led the Spires with eight kills, a .238 hitting percentage, three blocks and the team's only service ace. Maddison Kruse added seven kills and two block assists, while Addison Baker directed the offense with 20 assists. The Spires finished with 30 kills and held a 7-6 advantage in team blocks.

USM opened the first set with a 5-2 lead on a kill by Emma Murphy assisted by Baker. Three consecutive Bulldog attack errors later pulled the Spires even at 12-12. After falling behind 20-15, USM scored four straight points, including an ace by Kindall and a solo block by Murphy to cut it close within 20-19. A service error and a kill by MC's Gray restored McPherson's three-point cushion. Kruse saved one set point with a kill before Olander ended the set in favor of the visitors.

McPherson built leads of 6-1 and 13-6 in the second set, but the Spires would again fight to narrow that gap. Kaylee Kindall supplied two more kills and a solo block during a three-point run that brought the Spires within 14-11. Later, kills by Sammy Jo Kirk and Makenza Holly, followed by a McPherson attack error, trimmed a 19-13 deficit to 19-16. The Bulldogs answered with a four-point run from 20-17 to 24-17. Kirk tried to battle to keep her team in it, saving a set point before Buss finished it off with a kill.

The Spires produced their most efficient offensive set in the second, recording 12 kills against four errors for a .258 hitting percentage. McPherson countered with 19 kills and a .417 mark, then carried that attack into the third set. A five-point run capped by Stegora established a 12-3 lead. Consecutive kills by Kirk and Kindall gave the Spires two late boosts to make it 23-13 before Stegora and Fierens completed the sweep for McPherson.

Daniella Rivera-Perez anchored Saint Mary's back-row defense with 10 digs. Isabella Kietzmann and Dakotah Garcia each contributed nine, and Kathryn VanSkiver finished with eight digs and eight assists. Murphy contributed three kills and three blocks, helping the Spires finish with three solo blocks and eight block assists.

The Bulldogs finished with 50 kills and a .281 hitting percentage, compared with Saint Mary's .118. Olander led McPherson with 16 kills, while Fierens added 11 kills, hit .471 and served two aces.
 
Coming Up…

Spire volleyball will stay home this weekend as they host the Bethany College Swedes on Saturday, October 10^th for Mental Health Awareness Night at the Ryan Sports Center. The match is slated to begin at 2 p.m. in Leavenworth as the Spires regular season continues to charge full steam ahead. USM volleyball currently sits ninth overall in the KCAC.