SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS, Ind. — The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College women's volleyball team remained unbeaten with a commanding 3-0 victory over Calumet College of St. Joseph on Friday afternoon inside Knoerle Center.
The Pomeroys improved to 24-0 with the 25-8, 25-9, 25-10 sweep. SMWC hit .361 as a team, committed only eight attacking errors and held the Crimson Wave to a minus-.147 hitting percentage.
SMWC also controlled the match from the service line, finishing with 16 aces while surrendering only one.
The Pomeroys established control immediately, scoring the first three points of the opening set behind kills from
Kelstin Burnette and
Alexa Orozco and an ace from
Ayiana Nieves.
Harper Ash later served SMWC through a four-point run that extended the lead to 11-2.
The advantage grew to 15-3 following an ace from
Marianna Ayala-Ortiz and a kill from
Raimey Owens. Orozco delivered a late kill before
Ellie Kleve closed the 25-8 victory with a kill off a Nieves assist.
SMWC broke open the second set with another strong serving stretch from Ash. The Pomeroys led 3-2 before Ash recorded three aces during a five-point run that pushed the margin to 8-2.
Calumet pulled within 10-6, but SMWC answered with six consecutive points. Burnette and
Leah Luevanos combined for a block during the surge before Burnette capped it with a kill.
Selena Sosa later added an ace, and Ash recorded her fifth ace of the match to help finish the 25-9 win.
The Pomeroys put the match away with an extended run in the third set. Leading 12-7, SMWC scored eight straight points behind the serving of Nieves. The run included three Nieves aces and kills from Burnette, Kleve and Nieves as the advantage grew to 20-7.
Madelyn Wilson provided the final point with a kill to complete the sweep.
Burnette and Orozco shared the team lead with seven kills apiece. Burnette hit .385 and contributed two block assists, while Orozco added a solo block.
Nieves delivered a strong all-around performance with 19 assists, five aces, four kills and four digs. Ash also served five aces and added three assists, four digs and a kill.
Luevanos finished with four kills on five attempts for a .600 hitting percentage, while Kleve put down four kills on four swings and recorded a solo block. Owens added four kills without an attacking error.
Sosa anchored the back row with a match-high 13 digs and three aces.
Daniella Zvonar contributed seven digs and two aces, and Ayala-Ortiz totaled eight assists, four digs and an ace.
SMWC returns to action Saturday, Sept. 19, for two matches at the Governors State Tri-Match in University Park, Illinois. The Pomeroys face Kansas Wesleyan at 2 p.m. CT before taking on host Governors State at 4 p.m. CT.
