Avila Records First KCAC Victory with Sweep of Sterling

STERLING, Kan. – Thanks to some solid net defense and their best offensive output in weeks, the Avila volleyball team (9-15, 1-4 KCAC) got back on track and earned its first conference victory of the 2022 campaign by sweeping Sterling (9-10, 2-3 KCAC) in impressive fashion on Thursday night in Sterling.

Avila put an end to a seven-game losing streak by recording eight blocks as a team, their most since tallying nine blocks against Baptist Bible College, and hitting .307 collectively, the team's second-best hit percentage in a match this season. Five different Eagles recorded at least six kills, and all five of them hit .225 or better in an impressive all-around offensive display.

Thursday's first set was tight early until Chloe Brundick stepped up to the service line with the Eagles leading 12-10. From there, the Eagles reeled off the game's next seven points, a run that was started by back to back kills from D'Ovion Williams and was ended by back to back kills from McKenzie Green. Avila never looked back after that surge: the Eagles won four of the final five points of the set, capped by a kill from Phoebe Riddle, to win the set 25-16.

The second set was dead even early, with neither team ever leading by more than two points through the first half of the period. Once again, however, it was the visitors who stitched together a big run to pull away. Holding a slim lead of just 15-14, two more kills from Green helped Avila score four straight to open up its biggest lead at 19-14, and then Williams and Shay Karmazyn combined for a couple of blocks in the home stretch before Karmazyn finished things off with a right side kill giving the Eagles a 25-17 victory and a 2-0 match lead.

After Sterling opened the third set with a 3-0 edge, the Eagles swiftly rallied back to move in front 9-5. Sterling tied it up at nine apiece and though Avila once again built up a lead as large as 17-14 Sterling once again rallied to tie things up at 20 apiece. From there, the teams traded points for a while, with the Warriors answering kills from Addison Davis and Chelsea Schatzer to keep the score tied at 23. But finally, a Warrior error gave the Eagles match point, and Abigail Blake set up Green for the decisive kill on the first time of asking, giving Avila a 25-23 victory and a straight sets win on the road.

Williams was back to her usual dominant self in this one, leading all players with 13 kills along with six block assists on a .550 hit percentage. Kelsey Johnson added in 11 kills while Schatzer added in six with no errors. Brundick recorded her ninth double-double of the season with 20 assists and 14 digs, while Blake led all players with 19 digs in just three sets. Jordyn Jellison paced the Warriors with a flat ten kills and Nyah Isom recorded 16 digs. Avila's varsity reserve got the night started by sweeping the Warriors (25-20, 25-22) in their two-set match.

After playing matches on back to back nights, Avila volleyball will get the weekend off before returning to action on Tuesday, October 11 with a road match against McPherson. Varsity reserve gets the evening started at 5 PM with the varsity match to follow at 7; as always, you can watch all the action on the KCAC Sports Network.