Greenville, Ill., March 13th, 2021 – The #14 ranked Westminster College Blue Jays volleyball team lost their second straight road game at a nationally ranked team. The Jays fell at #16 ranked Greenville University in four sets (25-18, 23-25, 9-25, 15-25).
The match got off to a promising start as the Blue Jay blockers were having a big time affect on the set. Four points scored off the Westminster block. Greenville would commit 9 attack errors and hit only .070 from the conferences leading hitting percentage team. Haley Menke, Gretchen Durbala and Natalie Needy all figured prominently in the Blue Jay blocking scheme. The Blue Jays attack was also working in set one. The team hit their match high of .189 in the set. Menke would contribute five kills during the set and Allie Kennebeck would end the set with a kill to give the Blue Jays a 25-18 win and 1-0 match lead.
The second set would start strong with the Blue Jays jumping out to a 9-3 lead. The Jays got two kills by Kennebeck and two more kills by Menke along with some Greenville errors in that stretch. Greenville would make a run of their own to get back in the set. The Panthers would eventually tie the set at 21 but the Blue Jays would take the next two points including a Eryka Wanyonyi service ace that put the Jays up 23-21. Greenville would then score four straight points to win the set 25-23 and tie the match at 1-1.
Set number three is a set the Blue Jays would just as soon forget. They would hit a season low -.083 and commit nine errors. Greenville would go on a 10-0 run during the set and roll to a 25-9 set win and a 2-1 match lead.
Set Four would get a little better as the Blue Jay attack would hit better early on. However, ten Westminster attack errors would help Greenville take a 25-15 win in set 4 and win the match 3-1.
The Westminster attack was led by Menke who recorded 16 kills. Wanyonyi would record a double-doubled with 11 kills and 20 digs. Durbala had 28 assists and Erica Schrader had a solid day defensively with 25 digs. Westminster hit a season low .061.
The Blue Jays will get the opportunity to get things back on tract this coming Wednesday. The Jays will travel to Iowa Wesleyan University for a 7:00 first service.
