Avila Falls in Regular Season Finale at Southwestern

WINFIELD, Kan. – The Avila volleyball team headed out to Winfield for an important late-season conference clash on Wednesday night, but there, the Moundbuilders (10-13, 5-6 KCAC) earned the straight sets victory, sending the Eagles (14-19, 4-8 KCAC) home with a loss in their regular season finale.

Regardless of the result, Avila knew that Wednesday's match wouldn't be their final one of the 2022 season: the Eagles had already more than locked up a spot in the 12-team KCAC Tournament field before this week. The key point, however, is that the Eagles' scheduled "bye week" occurs this weekend, meaning Avila is now locked in at 4-8 while every other league team still has one more match to play.

Even though the result didn't change anything for Avila's postseason eligibility, it did still have a few big picture implications: with the win, Southwestern locked up a first round home playoff game next week, and with the loss, Avila knows it will have to start its KCAC Tournament run on the road, most likely at either McPherson or at Saint Mary, depending on this weekend's results.

Southwestern is much improved from last year's team that the Eagles swept in their conference finale last fall, and on Wednesday the Moundbuilders controlled the net on both offense and defense to ultimately pick up the sweep. Southwestern out-blocked Avila 8-3 and out-hit Avila by .150.

Jayda Brittenum had a brilliant match with 11 kills on .625 hitting, and three other Builders tallied at least seven kills, and KCAC dig leader Sophia Wicker led the match with 30. For Avila, D'Ovion Williams once again led the way with nine kills on .121 hitting, and Phoebe Riddle turned in a nice night with six kills on .417 hitting. Addison Davis had a double-double and Chloe Brundick was a dig away from one of her own, and Abigail Blake, who trails only Wicker in the KCAC in digs per set, racked up 25 digs.

Avila began the night brilliantly, winning the first five points of the match on Blake's serve, before Southwestern steadily climbed back, ultimately putting together a 7-1 run to grab a lead they would not relinquish. Avila got back to within 21-19, but back to back kills from Hannah Weber helped the Builders win the first set 25-20.

Then it was SC's turn to start strong: the Builders won six of the first seven points of set two, and never trailed in the set. Once again, the closest Avila got was within three points at 13-10 but the Eagles could not make up the ground in a 25-18 Southwestern win, a margin the Moundbuilders matched in the third set to wrap up the sweep. Southwestern also won the varsity reserve match in two competitive sets.

With the regular season complete, Avila must now await its fate and its first round opponent in the 2022 KCAC Volleyball Championship Tournament, which begins next week at host sites across the conference. The bracket will be released after matches conclude Saturday; stay tuned to Avila Athletics on social media and avilaathletics.com to find out where and when the Eagles will play next.