ADRIAN, Mich. – The Adrian College women's volleyball team took the court for the last time at home this season. They took on Saint Mary's College in a pivotal match with major conference tournament implications.
Both teams exchanged the lead throughout the early stages of the first set. Three-straight errors from the Belles allowed Adrian to take a 14-12 lead. A Khloe Budzynski kill helped Adrian extend their lead to four points. That cushion was enough to guide Adrian to a 25-20 victory. The Bulldogs were fueled by seven kills from Budzynski in the first set.
The second set could not have started any better for the Bulldogs. A seven-point run opened up the set for Adrian, giving them a staggering lead. Saint Mary's fought back and brought the deficit to one point. Peyton Oertel extended the lead to two, but the Belles answered with three straight points to give themselves the lead, 17-16. Saint Mary's closed out the set with an 8-3 run to secure the come-from-behind victory.
Adrian and Saint Mary's exchanged leads for most of the third set. A Morgan Wood kill helped build a three-point lead in favor of the Bulldogs. A 10-4 run for the Belles reversed the three-point lead. The Saint Mary's offense overpowered the Adrian defense in a 25-17 victory.
Looking to force a fifth set, it was Adrian's turn to command the set. Budzynski and Oertel both added kills to their impressive stat lines, aiding the seven-point lead. Three more attack errors from the Belles gave Adrian a 19-12 lead. Lauren Boehmer added two kills down the stretch to even up the match at two sets apiece.
The pivotal fifth, and final, set was controlled by Saint Mary's from the get-go. A seven-point run of their own put the Bulldogs in an early hole. Budzynski added two more kills to her ledger that brought Adrian within four points. Saint Mary's prevailed, winning the fifth set 15-10, and the match 3-2.
Peyton Oertel protected the net all night, registering a career-high ten blocks. This moves her into a tie for second place for total blocks in a five-set match in program history.
Up Next
Adrian closes out the regular season at Calvin University on November 6. The match will begin at 6:30 PM.
