Valasek and Glenn Lead Volleyball Past Briar Cliff
Hastings, NE – The Hastings College volleyball team picked up conference win number two by defeating Briar Cliff 23-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-19 on Saturday afternoon inside Lynn Farrell Arena.
Hastings, NE – The Hastings College volleyball team picked up conference win number two by defeating Briar Cliff 23-25, 25-20, 25-21, 25-19 on Saturday afternoon inside Lynn Farrell Arena.
Things looked good for the Lady Broncos in the first set opening up a 21-15 lead as the Chargers called a timeout. Following this timeout, BCU lit some kind of fire ending the set on a 10-2 run to take the early 1-0 lead.
Hastings was needing an answer in trying to avoid the upset and would get it beginning in set two. Things got started as attack errors began to build for Briar Cliff as three of them along with a Laura Hyde service ace pitted Hastings to a 10-6 lead.
The lead grew to 13-7 behind a bad set from Yenne Schepers, a solo block from Grace Branson and an ace from Evie Howard. BCU would keep things interesting getting to within two at 22-20. Makenna Asher then went outside to her top attacker as Majesta Valasek hit the cross-court winner to make it 23-20. Then Asher worked the middle to Kaitlin Thiebauth for the kill to make it set point. BCUs Kiersten Baker sent her attack long as Hastings tied things 1-1 by winning set two 25-20.
In the all-important set three, things were tight past the midway point as Hastings clung to a 15-14 lead. Asher went back to the middle connecting this time with Grace Branson as she tooled the attack off the block for the kill. Then she went back outside to Valasek as she hammered the attack to the floor to make it 17-14. HC then led 18-14 off a BCU attack error before the Chargers were able to end the little run.
Hastings then increased its lead to six behind kills from Asher, Sophie Stevens and two kills from Madison Glenn en route to the 25-21 set three victory.
Hastings did build a 17-10 lead in the fourth set but a 5-0 run by the Chargers made things interesting so Asher went out to her best hitter to end the run as Valasek smashed the kill down the line to make it 18-15. The teams then traded points until a Asher went outside to Glenn as she hammered the kill through the block to set up match point. Asher then finished things off with a tough serve picking up the ace and finishing off BCU in four sets.
Glenn had another career day finishing with a career high 18 kills while hitting .229. Valasek had another outstanding performance with a match high 19 kills while hitting .302. She finished with a double-double as she picked up 10 digs as well. Miriam Miller led the way with 19 digs while Asher led the team with 45 assists.
For the match Hastings hit .201 while holding the Chargers to just .119.
Hastings improves to 7-8 (2-4) on the year and will be back in action Friday Sept. 29 hitting the road to take on Dakota Wesleyan with first serve set for 7:30 pm in Mitchell, SD.
