BELTON, Texas – The Alverno College volleyball team wrapped up play at the University of Mary Hardin-Baylor (UMHB) Tournament on Saturday, falling to LeTourneau University in three sets, 25-17, 25-19, 25-10. The Inferno battled throughout the first two sets, including a late push in the second, before the YellowJackets closed out the match in the third.
Alverno finished the match with 19 kills, three service aces, and five blocks. Sophomore
Mary Needham (San Tan Valley, Ariz./Poston Butte) led the Inferno offensively with seven kills, while junior
Keegan Russell (South Bend, Ind./Clay) added three kills. Sophomore
Sofia Mitchell (Denver, Colo./Denver School of Science & Technology: Montview) and freshman
Jayden Koziol (Willowbrook, Ill./Hinsdale) each contributed two kills, with Koziol also recording three block assists. Sophomore
Beyonca Hereford (Beloit, Wis./Beloit Memorial) recorded 13 assists in the loss.
Defensively, sophomore
Brooklynne Hereford (Beloit, Wis./Beloit Memorial) paced the Inferno with 15 digs, while Needham and junior
Elyse Kozikowski (Watertown, Wis./Dodgeland) each added eight. Hereford also contributed an ace, while Needham recorded one ace of her own.
With the loss, Alverno falls to 0-4 on the season. The Inferno will return home and open up their home schedule, taking on Dominican on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at 7 p.m. in Reiman Gymnasium.
Alverno opened the first set with an early 5-3 deficit before working its way back within two at 14-12. The YellowJackets responded with a four-point run to extend their advantage and eventually took the opening set, 25-17. Needham recorded three kills and an ace during the set, while Hereford added an ace.
The Inferno continued to battle in the second set, overcoming an early 4-0 deficit to pull within one at 5-4. Alverno later tied the set at 8-8 and remained within striking distance before LeTourneau built a 23-13 advantage. The Inferno responded with a six-point run to cut the deficit to 23-19, but the YellowJackets scored the final two points to take the set, 25-19.
LeTourneau took control early in the third set, building a 7-3 lead before extending its advantage to 16-5. Alverno added five of the next eight points to make it 19-10, but the YellowJackets closed out the match with six straight points to secure the 25-10 set victory.
Logan Lear led the team with eight kills for the LeTourneau, while Nora Lockhart had seven kills on just 13 attempts. Hailee Perry had 18 assists to help orchestrate the offense, along with Gabby Ovalle, who added 14, including four service aces.
