Eagles Drop Crosstown Showdown with MNU

OLATHE, Kan. – Avila volleyball made the short trek west to Olathe to face off with former HAAC conference rivals (11) MidAmerica Nazarene on Tuesday night, and the nationally-ranked Pioneers (2-3) took care of business at home, dispatching the upstart Eagles (1-1) in three sets.

The Pioneers are perennially one of the best programs in this part of the NAIA and have expectedly controlled the recent all-time series between the two programs separated by half an hour of drive time. But the Eagles kept things close last season despite losing in three sets, scoring at least 20 points in two of the three frames against a team that would go on to lose just two matches all year.

That wasn't the case this time around. Avila was in the mix early on in all three sets but MNU eventually seized control every time and pulled away to win 25-18, 25-15, 25-15. Cassidy Crist led all players with 13 kills and hit .480, and three other Pioneers had eight kills. Diamond Sedlak led the Eagles with six kills, and Siobhan Dittmer and Phoebe Riddle combined for nine; outside hitter Maddie Jones led the team with 17 digs.

A full weekend of action is on tap for the Eagles as they travel to Bellevue, Nebraska to participate in Bellevue's annual Labor Day Classic. The Eagles will play four matches over three days at head coach Marylyn Mozena's alma mater, beginning with a Thursday evening showdown against Our Lady of the Lake at 5 PM. For details on how to watch and follow along, check out the all-new avilaathletics.com.