FULLERTON, CALIF. - The Northwest women's volleyball team started the season at Hope International University for the Summer Slam with day one matchups against Benedictine University Mesa and Simpson University.
The match between the Eagles and Benedictine was fairly tight. Both squads exchanged leads in set one with good serves from Ellie Van Berkum and Aubree Dees. On the verge of an Eagles victory, Benedictine launched a 5-1 comeback to put the set at 24-23. However, the Eagles clutched up, and Kaitlyn Mickle secured the final point to give the Eagles the 1-0 lead.
The second set saw Benedictine with an impressive hold on the lead, unwilling to give it up throughout most of the set. The Eagles managed a five-point comeback towards the end after being down 24-19, but Benedictine got the break with an attack error to tie the match and secure the win, 26-24.
The third set belonged to the Eagles after taking control a quarter way into the set. With a key block from Chloe Kennedy and Jaelyn Moeva, the Eagles bombarded a 9-2 point streak to hold on to the lead. Led by servers Morgan Harter and Masa Spela Jarc, the Eagles walked away with set three by a score of 25-20.
The fourth set started with neither team taking full control of the game. With small leads exchanged here and there, it wasn't until Kalli Budge took charge and led the Eagles on a seven-point streak. In this streak, Budge contributed a kill, an assist, and two blocks. It was enough to keep Benedictine out of harm's way to win the match, 3-1.
Mickle picked up right where she left off last year by leading the team in total kills with 13, while Dees followed right behind with 10.
Several hours later, the Eagles stepped on the court against Simpson. The Eagles strutted their stuff right out of the gate, taking an early 5-2 lead and holding on to it for the entire set. With stellar serves from Van Berkum and Katelyn Bogetti, the Eagles took care of Simpson, 25-20.
The second set was led by Sydney Faber with four points under her serves, which included an ace and blocks from Kennedy and Moeva. It wasn't long until the Eagles made another five-point jump to secure a 17-13 lead. While Simpson tried to surmount the comeback, it wasn't enough, as the Eagles took the second set, 25-21.
The final set saw two massive point streaks from the Eagles. One came from Faber, when she took the Eagles from down 7-5 all the way to 12-7. The other came off the back of Dees who drove the Eagles on a road trip to a seven-point streak to secure the win and the sweep, 25-17.
Dees took the crown of most kills in the game with 10, and Mickle came up right behind with seven.
The Eagles continue the Summer Slam with matchups against Embry-Riddle at 8am on Saturday and Dordt University at noon.
