BLUFFTON, Ohio -- With two more wins on Saturday, the Heidelberg University volleyball team improved to 7-0 on the season -- matching the 2011 team for the second-best start in program history. As part of the Sommer Center Spiketacular, hosted by Bluffton University, the Student Princes beat Geneva, 3-1, before sweeping Hanover.
On the day,
Amy Feczer led the offense with 28 kills and a gaudy attack percentage of .478.
Taylor Valentine tallied 26 kills while
Olivia Cristian added 21 kills. Setters
Anna McNabb and Julianna Peña dished out 53 and 43 assists, respectively.
Defensively,
Sarah Oney racked up 40 digs, closely followed by Valentine's 34 digs.
Alyssa Crusey had a team-high three blocks.
HU beat Geneva 25-20, 23-25, 25-18, 25-18. After taking a 7-2 lead early in the first set, The Berg allowed the Golden Tornadoes to inch back into the contest. Ahead 17-14, Heidelberg took a timeout following four straight Geneva points that game them an 18-17 lead. The Tricolor responded and took the next three points and closed the set on an 8-2 run.
Heidelberg held a 23-22 lead in the second set before Geneva stormed away with three straight points.
A third-set run of six straight points -- including two aces by
Peyton Miller -- turned a four-point deficit into a two point lead for HU. Later, a 7-1 run helped lift Heidelberg to a set victory.
Tight early, Heidelberg took control of the fourth set with an 8-2 run which gave them a 19-12 edge. Down 23-14, Geneva tried to claw back into the game -- scoring four straight points. HU, though, ended the match with kills from
Mya Morris and Feczer.
Play-by-play match data is not available for the sweep of Hanover -- 25-16, 25-23, 29-27. In the match, Cristian attacked at a .522 clip and had a team-high 13 kills.
The Student Princes will look to tie the 2006 team for most wins to start a season when they visit Ohio Wesleyan on Tuesday. The match with the Battling Bishops is slated for a 7 p.m. start in Delaware, Ohio.