SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS, Ind. — Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College women's volleyball continued its dominant season Saturday, sweeping Indiana University Southeast 25-17, 27-25, 25-16 inside the Knoerle Center.
The Pomeroys improved to
29-1 overall and 6-0 in River States Conference play, while IU Southeast fell to 6-11 overall and 3-2 in league action.
SMWC finished the afternoon with 42 kills while hitting .277 as a team and limited the Grenadiers to a .124 attack percentage. The Pomeroys also held a 60-55 advantage in digs, served five aces and totaled six blocks.
Karla Melendez Martinez delivered another complete performance, leading the Pomeroys with
14 kills, 14 digs, two solo blocks and a block assist while hitting .294.
Masa Pesic was nearly flawless offensively, recording seven kills without an error on 15 swings for a match-best .467 hitting percentage.
Sofia Soto added seven kills while hitting .353, and
Natalie Knigga finished with six kills and a .357 attack percentage.
Defensively,
Gaby Fernandez paced SMWC with 15 digs, while Melendez Martinez added 14.
Luci Morris contributed a solo block and a block assist as part of SMWC's strong effort at the net.
The Pomeroys established control immediately in the opening set. After taking a 6-3 advantage, SMWC rattled off six straight points behind the serving of
Lily Richards, with Morris and Melendez Martinez teaming for a block before Richards delivered an ace and
Ryan Canter followed with a kill to push the lead to 12-3.
IU Southeast trimmed into the margin later in the frame, but SMWC never let the Grenadiers seriously threaten. Melendez Martinez helped close the door with a late kill and service ace, Morris followed with a kill, and Knigga put down two of the Pomeroys' final three kills to secure the 25-17 victory.
The second set proved to be the afternoon's defining battle.
IU Southeast built a 10-7 advantage before Soto and Knigga helped SMWC draw even at 10. After the Grenadiers again pushed in front, the Pomeroys responded with another run, turning a 13-12 deficit into a 21-14 advantage. Melendez Martinez,
Raimey Owens and Pesic all supplied kills during the surge, while Morris and Melendez Martinez each contributed blocks and Richards added another service ace.
The Grenadiers refused to go quietly, rallying all the way back and eventually taking a 25-24 lead. Facing set point, Melendez Martinez hammered a kill to tie the frame at 25.
Leishmarie Virella then delivered a service ace before Pesic finished the comeback with a kill off an
Ayiana Nieves assist for the 27-25 win.
SMWC wasted little time taking control of the third. Melendez Martinez and Pesic helped the Pomeroys race to a 6-2 lead, and SMWC steadily extended the advantage from there. Soto produced three kills during the middle portion of the set, while Melendez Martinez and Pesic continued to provide points at the pins.
Leading 18-14, SMWC closed the match with seven of the final nine points. Virella recorded an ace, Pesic added another kill and Melendez Martinez put down the Pomeroys' 24th point before an IU Southeast attack error finished the sweep, 25-16.
SMWC hit its best in the final set, recording
16 kills against just one attack error for a .357 hitting percentage.
The Pomeroys now hit the road for a pair of River States Conference matches next weekend. SMWC travels to
Midway University (Ky.) at 6 p.m. Friday, Oct. 9, in Midway, Kentucky, before visiting
Indiana University East at 1 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 10, in Richmond, Indiana.
