DECORAH, Iowa (Duhawks.com) – On Wednesday, the Loras Women's Volleyball team traveled to Decorah, Iowa for their Iowa Conference opener against Luther College. In what might be the closest point-for-point match the Duhawks (4-7, 0-1) will play all season, Loras was defeated by Luther (6-4, 1-0) 3-0 (25-21, 25-23, 25-22).
Whether it was on the bench, or on the court, it was clear that the Duhawks showcased their leadership on Wednesday night. It took both will and determination to battle from behind in each of the three sets. The Duhawks determination is shown by their 22 ties across three sets.
Set one was evenly matched between the two sides, with four lead changes and nine tie scores. Each team was forced to use a timeout with momentum constantly changing from side-to-side. Down 15-13, Loras brought the game back to 17-all following a timeout from Head Coach
Jenna Ness. Points went back and forth between the sides until Luther eventually pulled away with a 25-21 set victory.
Senior
Liz Jendra led the Duhawks in kills early-on, notching four of her eventual 10 in the first set.
The second set appeared to be heading in the same direction until the Norse began to pull away mid-way through. Luther took eleven of sixteen points following a tie at eight to go up 19-14, forcing a Duhawk timeout. That timeout did wonders for Loras, sparking a 6-1 run to bring the game back to 20-all. Unfortunately for Loras, the Norse once again pulled away 25-23, to take the second set.
Despite losing the set by two points, the Duhawks were done in by their .042 hitting percentage, committing seven errors to just eight kills. Loras committed 21 errors through three sets.
Loras refused to quit heading into the third set despite trailing by two. Down by three at 17-14, the Duhawks were forced to turn it up a notch. Following a break, Loras rattled off a 4-1 run to bring the game to 18-all. This run was capped off by a crowd-silencing block from junior
Therese Schultz and freshman
Claire Ritchie, which forced Luther to call time-out. Loras hung tough for the remainder of the set, but ultimately were unable to control Luther's potent attack, falling 25-22.
KEY PLAYS|Set 1 | LOR | A kill from
Claire Ritchie sparked an early 4-0 run for the Duhawks
|Set 1 | LOR | Trailing 15-13, the Duhawks fought back to a 18-18 tie
|Set 1 | LUT | Following the 18-18 tie, Luther went on a 7-3 run to take the first set
|Set 2 | LOR | Out of a timeout,
Therese Schultz earned a kill to start a 6-1 rally to tie the game at 20
|Set 3 | LOR | An assisted block from Schultz and Bergan electrified the Loras bench and tied the game at 18
|Set 3 | LUT | Tied a 22, Anna Larsen chose a timely spot to pick up her seventh kill of the game, which led to a 3-0 run to take the set and the match
FRIEDMAN GROUP PLAYER OF THE GAMELiz Jendra | Jendra totaled a team-leading 10 kills on 24 total attacks … good for a .292 hitting percentage. The senior also finished tied for the team lead in digs (8) and blocking assists (2).
UP NEXTThis weekend the Duhawks will travel to Mount Vernon, Iowa for matches with Cornell and Augsburg to cap off a three-game away stretch. Last season the Duhawks were defeated by Cornell 3-2 despite taking the first two sets. It's been six years since the Duhawks last saw Augsburg. In 2008 Loras was defeated by the Auggies 3-1 at the Wisconsin-River Falls Invitational.
