Wildcats Rally From Two Sets Down to Stun Bobcats in Five

PERU, Neb. - Facing a 2-0 deficit, Baker women's volleyball delivered an incredible comeback to earn a five-set victory on the road at Peru State on Tuesday night in the Wildcats' second straight match to go the distance.

The Bobcats took the first two matches on scores of 25-22 and 26-24, but BU won a close third set before forcing a fifth with a 25-17 win in the fourth. The Wildcats rallied once again in the fifth to stun the hosts with a 15-12 victory in the deciding set.

Baker hit .223 for the match, saving the best for last with eight of its 15 attacks landing for kills and just two errors in the fifth set. The Wildcats tallied a season-high 11 aces with Taryn Dial leading the way with four points from the service line.

With the four aces matching her season high, Dial racked up exactly 31 assists for the second consecutive match, which is her career-high mark that she has already tied three times this year. Kohanihokuao Misipeka recorded a match-high 23 kills and earned a fourth-straight double-double with 12 digs.

With reigning Heart Freshman of the Year Aby Widhalm going down with an injury late in the first set, the Wildcats had a handful of players step up to contribute to the attack. Kaitlyn Stout (11), Meredith Brown (10), Kylie Murray (9) and Brie Reedy (7) all recorded seven or more kills with Murray chipping in 11 digs and two aces.

After the Bobcats started off the opening set with a slight lead, Baker scored a string of points to jump in front by one at 9-8 with a kill by Meredith Brown and an ace from Dial, sparking the run.

The lead would ping pong from there with neither side going up by more than a point until the Bobcats led 22-20. A couple of kills from Misipeka kept BU in it, but Peru State was able to hold on to take set one, 25-23.

Murray, Stout and Reedy all registered attacks in the first parts of set two to keep things tied at 8-8 until the Bobcats scored four unanswered to build a small lead. The Wildcats came back with multiple big rallies in the set, reeling off a 4-0 run of their own, followed by five straight points to lead 23-18.

Peru State answered with a devastating stretch that saw them win eight of the last nine points to steal an extended second set and take a 2-0 lead.

The Wildcats, who have been shut out only once this year, made their comeback by taking control early in set three, leading by six points at 15-9. After a response from the hosts, BU went up by four points late with a couple of aces from Murray. A big swing from Misipeka sealed the frame and closed out the first of three straight sets for the Wildcats.

After keeping the match alive in the third, Baker pulled away midway through an initial back-and-forth fourth set to take a five-point lead at 18-13. The Wildcats maintained the advantage the rest of the way and saw the momentum swing to their side with a big 25-17 win.

Just like the start to the night, the Wildcats found themselves down early in the decisive fifth set with Peru State claiming five of the first six points. BU would go on a 4-0 run to once again gain traction and tie things up on a Misipeka kill to make it 10-10.

A PSC service error and a rocket from Stout gave Baker a crucial two-point lead and Murray finished off the night with terrific reflexes to deliver the game-winning punch of BU's first conference win of the season.

It was the fourth match this year to go to five sets for the Wildcats with three five-setters in their last four matches. BU is now 2-2 in five-set matches with a 3-2 victory over Saturday's opponent Friends earlier this season.

Up next, Baker will travel to Atchison, Kan. on Friday, Sept. 19 to take on Benedictine for a conference match starting at 7 p.m. The Wildcats will turn around and play a home non-conference match against the Falcons on Saturday, Sept. 20 at 5 p.m. in the Collins Center.

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