BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University volleyball team again pulled a rabbit out of its hat on Wednesday, Feb. 10, 2021. Trailing two sets to one and down 24-22 in the fourth set, the Beavers rallied for a 27-25 victory and then plastered Manchester 15-4 in the clincher. Bluffton used that momentum to sweep the visiting Spartans (25-20, 25-16 and 25-13) in the nightcap as the Beavers improved to 11-6 overall and 3-3 in the Heartland Conference.
Senior Remi Bower (Deshler/Patrick Henry) was up to the task in the HCAC showdown, ramming home 16 kills against just three errors and she also helped the cause with four aces, six digs and a block. Sophomore Kaylie Campbell (Camden/Preble Shawnee) was efficient, needing just 20 swings for her nine putaways. She hit .400 and was in on a career-high eight blocks. Noel Ufferman finished with five blocks and seven kills to go along with her 11 assists.
Sophomore Elle Price (Findlay) handed out 22 assists for the victors. Doing the dirty work was junior libero Brooke Kleman (Glandorf/Ottawa-Glandorf) who picked up 16 digs and fired three aces. Courtney Weekley (Butler/Clear Fork) and Chelsey Taylor (Hicksville) just missed double digits with nine digs apiece. Freshman Alysha Like (McComb) put up five kills and four blocks in match one.
The first set of the nightcap went back-and forth before the Beavers opened a 21-17 margin on the strength of Becky Siemer (Liberty Center/Lakota East) at the service line. She fired an ace as the Beavers scored three straight points en route to the 25-20 victory.
Piling up 13 kills in the second match and more than doubling her previous career high was junior Cassie Mladek (Coshocton/Ridgewood). Like was back in the action with seven kills and three blocks. Price showed her versatility with eight kills, 10 assists, seven digs and two aces.
Siemer, Kelly Armentrout (Lima/Shawnee) and Alana Holsapple (New Madison/Tri-Village) all finished with three kills. Caitlyn Renner (Cairo/Bath) changed the color of her jersey for the nightcap and picked up a team-best 15 digs, while Logan Tabler (Greenville) and Lindsey Shaw (Findlay/Van Buren), who handed out 21 assists, added eight digs apiece. Armentrout stuffed the Spartans with a career-high five blocks.
Bluffton will be back in the Sommer Center for Senior Day on Saturday, Feb. 13, when the Beavers welcome Franklin College. First serve is slated for 1 p.m. and it will follow the senior day ceremony. Check out the LiveStream at https://boxcast.tv/channel/azmhqmpypa7txv85vpz5
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