Leavenworth, Kan.— The University of Saint Mary fell 3-1 to the Ottawa University Braves in this evening on Wednesday, November 4, at Ryan Sports Center, dropping sets 23-25, 25-22, 22-25 and 20-25. Maddison Kruse led the Spires with 13 kills.
USM built a five-point lead in the opening set, with Kaylee Kindall converting an Addison Baker assist for a 15-10 advantage. Kruse later put the Spires ahead 20-18 with a kill before Ottawa scored three straight points. A Conard attack error restored Saint Mary's lead at 22-21, but Ottawa took four of the final five points. Conard and Stark combined to block Saige Hadley for the set-clinching point.

The Spires responded with their most efficient attacking set, hitting .317 with 16 kills in the second. Makenza Holly capped a five-point run with a kill for an 8-5 lead, a stretch that included a Kathryn VanSkiver ace and a block by Baker and Holly. Another five-point run during Baker's service turn stretched the advantage to 15-9. The Braves trimmed a 24-20 deficit to 24-22 before Hadley finished Baker's assist to even the match.

Baker's second ace of the third set completed a three-point run that pushed the Spires ahead 12-11. Holly later delivered a kill for an 18-17 lead, but OU answered with consecutive blocks and a Spire attack error to move in front 20-18. The set ended on a Conard kill that gave Ottawa a 2-1 match advantage.

USM faced a 14-6 deficit in the fourth after a Stark kill but worked back within 20-17 when Sammy Jo Kirk and Kindall blocked Stark. Ottawa halted the rally with a Cherry kill and two Spire attack errors to lead 23-17. A Nickle attack error saved one match point for the Spires before Nickle's next kill closed the match.

Kruse hit .235, while Kindall finished with 10 kills and four blocks, including two solo stops. Holly added eight kills, Hadley had seven and Kirk contributed six. Emma Murphy recorded three kills on four attempts. Baker directed the offense with 39 assists and added 20 digs and two service aces.

Daniella Rivera-Perez supplied 13 digs, while VanSkiver and Dakotah Garcia each had 12. VanSkiver also served two aces, accounting with Baker for all four of the Spire's aces. USM finished with 48 kills, 83 digs and six team blocks while hitting .139. Stark led Ottawa with 18 kills and a .342 hitting percentage as Ottawa totaled 59 kills and hit .186.

 
Coming Up…

With one final regular season match to go, USM will stay home this Saturday, November 7 to celebrate USM volleyball Senior Day as they take on the Tabor College Bluejays in a 2 p.m. match up. Currently, your Spire volleyball team sits 7^th in the KCAC standings with KCAC Quarterfinals slated to begin next Tuesday, November 10.