Wildcats Sweep UHSP, Rally Past Friends to Cap 3-0 Weekend

WICHITA, Kan. — Baker volleyball walked away from the Friends University Tri with a pair of wins on Saturday afternoon, sweeping UHSP in the opener before storming back for a five-set thriller against the host Falcons.

Baker opened the afternoon with a clean 3-0 sweep over UHSP, winning by scores of 25-14, 25-21, 25-15. The Wildcats hit a blistering .307 as a team and spread the offense around with four players notching at least eight kills—Aby Widhalm and Kohanihokuao Misipeka leading with nine apiece, while Kylie Murray and Meredith Brown each added eight. Setter Taryn Dial ran the show with 20 assists and also delivered four of Baker's six aces.

The nightcap against Friends was a whole different story, as BU needed every ounce of grit to rally from a two-set hole. After dropping the opening frame 25-21 despite holding an 18-10 lead, Baker couldn't quite close out the second set either, falling 27-25 in extra points after having set point at 24-23.

The third set is when the Wildcats came alive, using a dominant stretch to turn the tables with a convincing 25-15 win that kept the match alive. The momentum carried into the fourth, where BU raced ahead 20-11 before fending off a late Friends rally to even the match with a 25-22 victory.

The decisive fifth set featured more Wildcat resilience with Kate Reese tallying an ace on the opening point to set the tone. After a tight start, Baker ripped off 10 of 11 points—including five straight—to slam the door on the Falcons with a dominant 15-5 finish.

Murray led the attack with 14 kills while hitting nearly .400 (.394), and Brie Reedy was a force at the net with five blocks to go along with seven kills. Dial dished out a career-high 31 assists in the comeback, and libero Reese Kehl steadied the defense with a team-high 29 digs.

The victories capped a 3-0 weekend for the Wildcats, who also defeated Bethany (3-1) on Friday night in BU's home opener at home. Over the three matches, Baker hit .222 as a team and showed balance across the roster, with Widhalm (35 kills), Misipeka (35 kills), and Murray (26 kills) leading the attack while Dial (80 assists) and Kehl (74 digs) turned in strong performances.

With a 4-1 start to the season, Baker will open up its 2025 conference slate with a home match against (RV) Park on Saturday, Sept. 6, at 2 p.m. in Collins Gym.

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