BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University volleyball team served up a Senior Night special for Kelly Armentrout (Lima/Shawnee), firing 16 aces in a four-set demolition of long-time rival Defiance College on Wednesday, Nov. 1, 2023. Bluffton improved to 6-23 and 1-7 with its first Heartland Conference victory!
With Bluffton up two sets to one and 1-0 in the fourth, freshman Mallory Fluharty (Wooster/Triway) stepped to the service line and delivered 10 straight points, including five of her career-high eight aces, en route to an 11-0 lead. The home team kept the pedal to the metal and capped off the match in style, with a 25-8 waxing that had the Sommer Center faithful on its feet!
The Beavers had no fewer than four hitters over the .300 mark, led by freshman Kasey Sager (Troy) who went seven kills, one error and just 11 swings for a blistering .545 hitting percentage! Junior Chloei Barnett (Wapakoneta) torched the Jackets with 13 kills on 27 attacks. Armentrout was outstanding in her home finale, smashing nine winners against just one error on 22 attacks. Freshman Chloe Sample (Springfield/Catholic Central) chimed in with 10 kills on Wednesday night.
Fluharty ran the show with 37 assists to go along with her eight aces, 11 digs and two blocks. Sager stuffed the visitors with a career-high seven blocks, while sophomore Jenna Woods (DeGraff/Riverside) added four for the good guys.
Emma Organ (Lambertville, Mich./St. Ursula) rounded up a team-high 16 digs and she ripped a pair of aces. Back row specialists Kaylei Barnett (Wapakoneta) and Ella McCombs (Springfield/Southeastern) each rifled a pair of aces as well.
Bluffton finished with a whopping .324 hitting percentage, 16 aces and 10 total blocks on the night that Kelly Armentrout was honored for her four years as a Beaver!
The women travel to Rose-Hulman for their season finale on Saturday, Nov. 4. The first serve from Terre Haute, Ind., is slated for 4 p.m.
-BEAVERS-
