Wildcats Come From Behind to Defeat Bethany 3-1 in Home Opener
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Bethany (KS) (0-5, 0-0) | 25 | 17 | 22 | 18 | 1 |
|
Baker (KS) (2-1, 0-0) | 21 | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
BALDWIN CITY, Kan. – Despite dropping the first set of the night, the Baker volleyball team won the next three sets and defeated Bethany College on Friday evening, 3-1, by scores of 21-25, 25-17, 25-22, and 25-18.
Both Aby Widhalm and Kohanihokuao Misipeka tallied 15 kills each as Misipeka hit, .209, while Widhalm hit .312 in the match. Brie Reedy also had 10 kills in the match, hitting .375. Misipeka also had 16 digs in the match for a double-double while Reese Kehl was all over the floor, racking up 31 digs in four sets.
Taryn Dial led the Wildcats with 29 assists in the match and 11 digs for a double-double, while Miranda Kuntz also tacked on 21 assists.
Baker scored first in set one, but after Bethany took the lead at 6-5, the Swedes never gave up the lead again. Baker cut the lead to one multiple times, but could not complete the comeback in set one, falling 25-21.
With the Wildcats trailing 3-2 in set two, Baker put together a strong 6-0 run to force the Swedes to call a timeout with the Wildcats leading 8-3. Baker never gave the Swedes a chance to come back in the second set, closing out the set on a kill from Kylie Murray to give Baker the 25-17 win and tie the match at one.
Set three was tight for most of the set with both teams trading the lead back and forth. With the Wildcats leading, 21-20, kills from Misipeka and Reedy, followed by an attack error from Bethany, the Wildcats pulled away to 24-20 before Reedy put the set away with a kill to win the set, 25-22.
Baker carried the momentum into the fourth and final set as they pulled away and held a 23-16 lead late in the set. After an attack error cut the lead to 23-18, Widhalm and Maggie Moulden got back-to-back kills to end the set, 25-18 and give the Wildcats a strong 3-1 win in the match.
Baker is now 2-1 on the season. They will be back in action on Saturday, August 30, when they travel to Wichita, Kan., to take on UHSP and Friends at 12 and 2 p.m., respectively.
#BakerBuildsChampions