Eureka, IL 10/8/2022- The Westminster College volleyball team in the Eureka tri-match and faced off against Spalding University and Eureka College. Both games are rematches from the Westminster tri-match earlier in the season. The Golden Eagles defeated the Blue Jays the first time around, but this time the Blue Jays would end up on top avenging their loss from earlier in the season. Westminster defeated Spalding in five sets, 3-2 (29-31,22-25,30-28,25-19 and 15-9). The Blue Jays would defeat the Red Devils in four sets: 3-1 (25-13,25-15,20-25 and 25-13) to sweep the season series. Westminster improves to 15-8 on the season and 9-2 in the SLIAC.
Game One vs Spalding
The Blue Jays and the Golden Eagles played a five-set classic on Saturday afternoon. Spalding would come out on top in the first two sets, winning 31-29 and 25-22 to take an early 2-0 match lead. Westminster would rally and pull off the reverse sweep, winning the following three sets, 30-28,25-19, and 15-9.
Their well-balanced attack led Westminster with four hitters getting double-digit kills. Malena Bixby (New Berlin, IL/ New Berlin) tied for a game-high 18 kills. Senior hitters Payton Bledsoe (Mexico, MO/ Mexico) and Eryka Wanyonyi (Columbia, MO/ Hickman) both had 13 kills, Haley Menke (O'Fallon, Mo. / Fort Zumwalt West) would have 11 kills of her own. Kate Rable (Saint Peters, Mo. / Fort Zumwalt South) had a match-high 35 assists. Kirsten Schrader (Imperial, MO / St. Pius X) led the team in digs with 20. Wanyonyi would have 16 digs and Rable recorded 13 digs of her own. They both would have a double-double in the match.
Game Two vs Eureka
In the second game of the day the Blue Jays would take on the Red Devils and win that match in four sets, 25-13, 25-15,20-25, and 25-13.
The Blue Jays were led by Menkes' 18 kills. Wanyonyi had 15 kills and 17 digs, her second double-double of the day. Bixby would collect 10 kills as well. Schrader had 21 digs and freshman setter Braylee Montgomery (Bonne Terre, MO / North County) had a career-high 24 assists.
The Blue Jay volleyball team will be back in action on Tuesday, October 11th, in a rematch against Fontbonne University. That match will begin at 7:00 PM inside the Historic Gym.
