BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University volleyball team picked a good day to have a good day. With Franklin and Alma in town, the Beavers got it done with a pair of convincing sweeps on Saturday, Oct. 12, 2024. Bluffton improved to 15-7 overall and 1-1 in the Heartland Conference.

Senior Chloei Barnett (Wapakoneta) was flying high in the lidlifter, pounding 13 kills with a .294 hitting percentage in the sweep of Franklin. Sophomore Chloe Sample (Springfield/Catholic Central) added eight winners and ringleader Gabby Williams (West Liberty/West Liberty-Salem) chipped in with five hammers and a pert .364 hitting percentage to go along with her 31 helpers and team-high five aces!

Sophomore Abby Lawhorn (Cable/Mechanicsburg) led the defense with 19 digs, while Saniyah Terry (Macomb, MI/L Anse Creuse HS North) and Kaylei Barnett (Wapakoneta) followed with 15 and 10 pickups, respectively. Paige Massie (Alvada/Arcadia) stuffed the stat sheet with four kills, no errors, two aces and three blocks.

Alma took Franklin to five sets after Franklin won the first two, but the Grizzlies prevailed and then Bluffton added insult to injury with a three-set victory over the Scots.

Sample was firing on all cylinders with 10 kills and a .318 hiting percentage in match two. Barnett finished one kill shy of double figures, while Jenna Woods (DeGraff/Riverside) and Massie hammered away with seven kills apiece. Massie, who led the way with four blocks of Alma, went 7-1-11 for a whopping .545 hitting clip!

Williams doled out 20 assists in the nightcap. Lawhorn and Terry finished with seven and six digs, respectively. Terry also chimed in with three service aces and a kill.

Bluffton heads to Kalamazoo for a non-conference matchup and a rare Thursday night performance on Oct. 17. First serve is slated for 7 p.m. with the Hornets of the MIAA.

-BEAVERS-