Published: October 15, 2008 09:52 am      

Saints knock off Viterbo at home

CLINTON — Jenny Buelow had a team-high 13 kills to help Ashford hand Viterbo its first loss in Midwest Collegiate Conference volleyball 25-20, 28-26, 25-23 on Tuesday night at Kehl Arena.

Kelsay McCausland of Camanche added nine kills, and Lisa LaMasse had five blocks for the Saints (16-15, 3-2 MCC). Viterbo dropped to 22-9, 4-1.

The Saints had to battle back from the beginning, but everything worked out fine in the end.

Brittany Pierce got Viterbo started on a 5-0 lead in the first game with an ace, and Kayla Powers had a kill and two blocks for points in the surge. Ashford gradually battled back, pulling even at 15-15 and then taking its first lead at 16-15, both with Clinton High graduate Whitney Miller serving.

The game was tied one more time, 16-16 before Ashford went ahead to stay on a kill by Lisa LaMasse. The Saints finished off the win with back-to-back service aces by Kendra King.

Ashford jumped to 3-0 leads in each of the next two games, but neither win was easy. The second game featured nine lead changes and eight ties.

Viterbo scored four consecutive points — two on kills by Amy Braaksma (10 kills) — to take a 20-14 lead. Moments later, Buelow forced a sideout out with a kill, then served consecutive points — getting kills from McCausland each time — to pull Ashford within 21-18. The Saints eventually pulled even and won on a kill by Buelow and an added point because of a red card by the Viterbo bench.

Ashford raced to 3-0 and 6-1 leads in Game 3 and led by as much as 18-12 before Braaksma rallied Viterbo. She had three consecutive errors to help Viterbo get within 18-15, and Viterbo eventually pulled even at 18-18, as well as 19-19 and 20-20.

An attack error put Ashford ahead for good at 21-20. After another attack error, Buelow had two kills to make it 24-21, but it took Ashford awhile to seal the win. That came on a service error by Missy Glenna to make it 25-23.

ASHFORD 25-28-25, VITERBO 20-26-23

Viterbo (22-9 4-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) — Amy Braaksma 10-0-2; Abby Breitung 7-2-0; Missy Glenna 6-0-0; Jenna Lau 6-0-0; Kayla Powers 5-0-2; Amanda Bernett 4-0-0; Brittany Pierce 3-1-0; Micaela Bjerke 2-0-0; Totals 43-3-4.0. Assists — Pierce 16; Bjerke 14. Dig leaders — Heather Harelstad 26; Glenna 16

Ashford (16-15 3-2) — Jenny Buelow 13-0-1; Kelsay McCausland 9-0-2; Aubree Rhoades 7-0-4; Lisa LaMasse 5-0-5; Breelyn McMahon 3-0-0; Kristin Orozco 1-0-0; Kendra King 0-3-0; Totals 38-3-11.0. Assists — Orozco 28. Dig leaders — Orozco 12; Buelow 11; Abigail Adams 9; McCausland 8.