Dubuque, IA 9/6/2023- The Westminster College volleyball team traveled to Dubuque, Iowa, for the weekend to compete in the 2023 Loras College Invitational. The Blue Jays would start the tournament defeating St. Scholastica 3-0 in game one. In game two, the Jays would lose to the University of Dubuque in straight sets to cap off Friday. Westminster faced Central College in game three Saturday morning, and they would battle to a fifth set with the Dutch able to secure the 3-2 victory. The Blue Jays ended the tournament in a 3-1 loss to Coe College.
Game One: Box Score
The Blue Jays would come out red hot in game one, winning three straight sets, 25-19,25-23 and 25-18. Malena Bixby led the attack with 15 kills in the match. Kylie Hasselbacher would also have double-digit kills with 10. Bixby recorded a double-double by also having ten digs in the game. Libero Kirsten Schrader would pick up seventeen digs. Setters Braylee Montgomery and Caitlyn Wheadon would combine for 35 assists in the match.
Game Two: Box Score
Westminster would not have much time to celebrate their victory as they were right back on the court against the University of Dubuque in their home gym, as they were co-hosting the weekend tournament. The two teams would go back and forth in set one, with the Spartans able to pull away winning the set 25-22. Set two would also be a close one, but Dubuque would win it 25-21 and then would run away with the third set 25-16 to sweep the Blue Jays. Hasselbacher led the Blue Jays offense with 15 kills.
Game Three: Box Score
The Blue Jays would start day two with a five-set barnburner against the Central College Dutch. The Dutch would dominate the first set 25-10. The Blue Jays would flip the script in the second set, winning it 25-12. Westminster would keep their momentum, winning the third set 25-22. The Dutch would squeak out set four, 25-23 and force a fifth set. Central would get an early lead to start the fifth set and would hold the Blue Jays at arm's length to win the set 15-10 and the match 3-2. Bixby would have 15 kills and 13 digs; Hasselbacher would have 12 kills and Meghan Nolte would have 10 kills. Montgomery was credited with 42 assists.
Game Four: Box Score
After a short break, Westminster would take on Coe College to cap off the Loras Invitational. The Kohawks would win set one 25-17. The Blue Jays would come back to win the second set 25-21. Coe would win the next two sets, 25-18 and 25-13 to win the match 3-1 in four sets. The Jays would have three hitters with double digit kills. Bixby led the way with 16 kills. She would also have 12 digs. Hassselbacher would have 12 kills in the match and Nolte would put down 10 kills. Schrader would have 20 digs in the match. Montgomery would have 43 assists.
The Blue Jays will be back in action as they end their non-conference schedule at Belhaven on Thursday, September 23rd, with 7:00 PM start time.
