Leavenworth, Kan.- The University of Saint Mary hosted the Southwestern Mound Builders Saturday night, winning in three sets. The Spires completed the season with an overall record of 19-13 and a conference record of 7-5. Before the game, four seniors were honored for the dedication and hard work they had given to the program.

Southwestern took an early lead, scoring four in a row to open the game. Saint Mary got back into the game, however, and soon the score was tied at 10. Things went back and forth between teams throughout the middle part of the set, but after a kill by Ainsley Gardner, the Spires took a 21-20 lead. Kills from Rylee Kenitzer and Devyn Ford helped Saint Mary win set one by a score of 25-23.

Set two started much like the ending of set one, with each team trying to get the advantage over the other. Another kill from Gardner sparked a 6-1 run for the Spires, giving them a comfortable 19-8 lead. Up eleven points, Saint Mary cruised to a 25-15 victory and a 2-0 overall lead. In the third and final set, the Spires got out to another early lead after an ace from Emma Prothe and multiple errors from the Builders. Midway through the set, Saint Mary went on a 7-1 run that saw two kills from Ford and Gardner. This run gave the Spires a commanding eight-point lead, with the score being 19-11. Michelle Dvorak closed things out for Saint Mary with a kill to secure the set by a score of 25-15 and the 3-0 senior night win. Gardner led the Spires with 14 kills on the night, while Haydan Heuermann has 41 assists.

Up Next

Saint Mary is set to host Tabor College for the first round of KCAC Playoffs at 7 p.m. on Tuesday at Ryan Sports Center.