The Basics
Score: Evangel 3, Bethel 2 | Box Score
Record: Evangel (16-11, 7-3), Bethel (10-8, 7-2)
Location: Springfield, Mo. (AGFinancial Arena)
SPRINGFIELD, Mo. – Evangel Volleyball returned home on Saturday (Oct. 24) morning, hosting the Bethel College Threshers for Homecoming. The Valor battled and hung with the 2nd place team in the conference, ultimately taking a 3-2 win in a five set fight against the Threshers.
Abby Ferguson and Jessica Pritchett helped lead Evangel to an early 15-6 lead over Bethel as EU swung .308 in the first set, while Bethel swung negative, -.143. The Thresher attacking errors guided EU to a set one win, 25-16.
The Valor took a step back offensively in set two, as Bethel began to warm up. Cienna Turner had a strong set, pushing EU to a 15-11 lead, but the Threshers would re-take the lead at 24-23. A BC attacking error tied the game up at 24-24, but a pair of Bethel kills followed, making it a 1-1 game in a 26-24 loss.
Evangel jumped out to a 18-9 lead in set three, as Charlotte Hawkins recorded several kills and Brooke Daniels hit back-to-back service aces. Another Hawkins kill gave the Valor a 24-17 lead, but the Threshers fought back, going on a 6-0 run to trail by a point, 24-23. A Simone Johnson kill ended the run, as EU escaped with a 25-23 win in set three.
Bethel was able to jump out to a quick 11-6 lead in set four, but a trio of kills and block from Ferguson and Johnson made it a 11-10 game. Trailing 16-14, a 4-0 run by Bethel proved to be the difference, as the Valor fell 25-21, forcing a fifth and final set in their second consecutive game.
Both teams traded points in the fifth set to a 7-7 tie, before Bethel recorded a kill and service ace to take a 9-7 lead. Mary Whitehead called a timeout to help regroup the team and fortunately, the timeout proved crucial, as the Valor went on a 7-0 run out of the break, with Pritchett and Hawkins giving EU a 14-9 lead. A service error closed out the contest for Bethel, as the Valor came away with an upset 15-11 win in set five.
HIGHLIGHTS
UP NEXT
Evangel Volleyball hosts the Saint Mary Spires on Wednesday (Oct. 28) night for senior night, with first serve set for 7:00 p.m., in AGFinancial Arena.
For the latest information on Evangel Athletics, visit Facebook at Facebook.com/EvangelValor, Twitter (@EvangelValor), or EvangelAthletics.com. Fans can also receive updates on their favorite EU teams by downloading the Evangel Athletics Gameday App through the App Store or Google Play. Â
—#OneValor—
