Beavers Take on Spalding, Westminster in SLIAC Action

GREENVILLE, IL -- Blackburn College Volleyball took on Spalding University and Westminster College Saturday in two St. Louis Intercollegiate Athletic Conference matches played at Greenville College. The Beavers won the first two sets with Spalding but couldn't hold on before dropping their match 3-2. They fell 3-0 to Westminster. 

Senior Cara Pence paced the team's offense attack with 19 kills with junior Zoe Mitchell adding 17. Senior Jessica Muckensturm chipped into the effort with 15 kills and junior Payton Moeglin posted 13. 

Sophomore Kenadee Frey aided the team with 61 assists. Pence finished the day with five aces. 

Defensively, Frey led the way 36 digs. Pence had 24 while Moeglin and sophomore Bailey Bennett both added 22. Muckensturm notched a total of three blocks. 

In the first match, Blackburn scored the first five points to go ahead 5-0 on and eventually pulled away to win the set 25-14. The second set saw Blackburn face a 10-6 deficit but they were able to rally back to take a 14-12 lead. The Golden Eagles rebounded to go up 19-18, but BC rallied and closed out the set by outscoring Spalding 7-4 to take a 2-0 lead. However, Spalding was able to recover and took the next two sets 25-21 and 25-17. In the fifth set, the Golden Eagles jumped out early which helped propel them to a 15-10 fifth set victory and to win the match 3-2. 

Blackburn took on Westminster in the second match but fell to the Blue Jays 25-17, 25-14 and 25-16. 

The Beavers return to action Thursday night when they host Knox College in a nonconference matchup.