9/1/2024 Fulton, MO- The Westminster College women's volleyball team traveled to Pella, Iowa, for a weekend tournament where they faced off against four tough opponents. Despite showing resilience and effort throughout the matches, the Blue Jays were unable to secure a win, finishing the tournament with a 0-4 record.
Game One vs. Rose-Hulman:
In their first match, the Blue Jays faced Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology. The match was keenly contested, especially in the first set where the Blue Jays showed resilience, but the Fightin' Engineers managed to edge out with a narrow 25-23 win. After taking the second set more comfortably at 25-16, the Blue Jays fought back to claim the third set at 25-16. However, Fightin' Engineers secured the match by winning the fourth set 25-20.
The Blue Jays, Madisyn Ellis with 10 kills and Kylie Hasselbacher with 12 kills were notable for their efforts in keeping the team competitive, especially in the third set where they managed to secure a win.
Game Two vs. Buena Vista:
In a hard-fought match, the Westminster Blue Jays fell to Buena Vista 3-1 in their second game of the season. Westminster opened strong, taking the first set 25-23, but struggled to maintain momentum as Buena Vista rebounded to claim the next three sets 25-17, 25-22, and 25-19. Despite the loss, standout performances were delivered by Madisyn Ellis, who led the Blue Jays with multiple kills, and Caitlyn Wheadon, who contributed key assists and service aces throughout the match.
The Blue Jays put up a strong defense, highlighted by Meghan Nolte's blocking efforts and Kylie Hasselbacher's critical plays at the net. However, Buena Vista's consistent attacking ultimately proved too much, as they pulled away in the final sets.
Game Four vs. Bethel (Minn.):
Bethel swept Westminster in a 3-0 match with set scores of 25-18, 25-18, and 25-22. Westminster's efforts were led by key players like Madisyn Ellis and Kylie Hasselbacher, who made significant kills and contributed to their team's competitive spirit, particularly in the third set. However, Bethel's strong performance proved too much for Westminster to overcome.
Game Four vs. Wisconsin Platteville:
Westminster's women's volleyball team faced a tough challenge against Wisconsin-Platteville. Despite a strong effort, Westminster fell in three sets with scores of 18-25, 18-25, and 22-25. Madisyn Ellis and Kylie Hasselbacher led Westminster's offense with 11 and 7 kills, respectively, while Paige Rowland added 4 kills.
The Blue Jays will be back in action in their home opener on Tuesday, September 3rd, with 7:00 PM start time.
