Belles Take Down Scots in Straight Sets

Box Score

• Meaghan Gibbons had 12 kills and 19 digs for her 11th double-double of the season.
• McKenzie Todd followed suit with 11 kills and 12 digs.
• Alexis Grady tallied 31 assists and 12 digs for a double-double of her own.

ALMA, Mich. - The Saint Mary's volleyball team earned their second sweep of the week with a 3-0 (25-20, 25-19, 26-24) victory over Alma in conference play on Friday night.

The Belles opened up the match with a 12-5 lead as Alma called a timeout to try to stop the momentum. The Scots chipped away at the deficit after that timeout and eventually pulled ahead 14-13 with a 6-0 run. Saint Mary's responded with a three-point spurt to regain a 16-14 advantage, but Alma continued to keep close late in the set. Clinging on to a 20-19 lead, the Belles claimed five of the next six points - three by kills and two by errors by the Scots - to take a 25-20 first set win.

Saint Mary's stormed out to a 10-2 lead in the second set and never looked back. The Belles held a lead of at least five points until Alma made it 20-16 with a late run. Saint Mary's continued to find the answer to the Scots' pressure. Colleen Kilgallon and Rachel Bonek put down a block to sway the momentum back in favor of the Belles at 21-16, and Bonek sent home a pair of kills late in the set to help lift Saint Mary's to the 25-19 win in the second set.

The Scots set the tone early in the third set by claiming a 6-2 lead early. The Belles edged their way back into the thick of things before tying the score at 14-14 and 15-15. Saint Mary's took their first lead in the set since the very start of the stanza with three quick kills by McKenzie Todd, Bonek, and Leah Buck. The Scots knotted things up at 18-18, but the Belles put the next three of the next four points on the scoreboard for a 22-19 lead. Alma continued to stay alive in the match by putting together a late run to take a 24-23 lead, but Saint Mary's still had a sweep on their minds after a service error by the Scots tied the score at 24-24. Meaghan Gibbons put the match away with back-to-back kills, lifting the Belles to the 26-24 third set decision.

Meaghan Gibbons led all players with 12 kills and added 19 digs for her 11th double-double of the season. McKenzie Todd followed suit with 11 kills and 12 digs. Rachel Bonek added nine kills in the win. Kaylin Szucs had a match-high 23 digs, and Alexis Grady tallied 31 assists and 12 digs for a double-double of her own.

The Belles (12-12, 8-4 MIAA) have a quick turnaround as they host No. 9 ranked Hope at 2:00 p.m. at Angela Athletic Facility on Saturday afternoon.