Avila Out-Blocks Bethel, but Threshers Manage to Win

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – Avila volleyball put together one of the team's best performances in conference play this season, out-blocking Bethel, one of the best blocking teams in the NAIA, but the Threshers (21-8, 10-1 KCAC) managed to outduel the Eagles (7-17, 3-8 KCAC) and win in four sets on Friday night in Mabee Fieldhouse.

Powered by a revamped netfront presence, the Threshers are one of the best blocking teams in the NAIA and the most in-form team in the KCAC, at one point this season winning more than a dozen matches in a row. But against a team in the hunt for a first-round bye in the KCAC Tournament, the Eagles acquitted themselves very nicely: even in an eventual four-set loss, Avila won the blocking battle 14-12 and were in the match every step of the way.

Fresh off their excellent offensive outing on Wednesday night against Friends, Avila carried some of that efficiency into the first set Friday, hitting .167, the best any team hit in any set in the match, to win the first set 25-17, the largest margin of victory by any team in any set in the match.

Bethel recovered to win set two 25-21, and then the Eagles recovered from a large early deficit to force set three into extras before the Threshers escaped with a 27-25 win. Needing to win the fourth set to stay in the match, the Eagle offense suddenly went cold, paving the way for the Threshers to win the set 25-19 and pull off the four-set victory.

Avila did a great job across the board defending top Bethel hitters Kylah Carter, Darla Crow and Cam Offerle, all of whom hit below .200. Right side Landree Merriman worked to fill that void, delivering a team-high 12 kills on .292 hitting. Avila's right side, Paige Huhman, was similarly great, firing in a game- and season-high 15 kills to pace the Eagles; Maddie Jones was right behind with 14 kills; Siobhan Dittmer was a part of ten total blocks.

With a postseason berth all but secured, Avila volleyball now heads into an important final week of the regular season against two more solid conference foes. Up first is Evangel on the road on Wednesday night, with first serve scheduled for 7 PM; as always, you can watch all the action on the KCAC Network.