Contact: Nathan Cameron, Assistant Director of Athletic Communications, 563-588-7243

Sept. 15, 2021 - Coming off of an undefeated weekend at the Grinnell Triangular, the Loras College women's volleyball team (7-1, 1-0 A-R-C) opened American Rivers Conference play against cross-town rivals the University of Dubuque Spartans (3-7, 0-1 A-R-C). The Duhawks took control of the match from beginning to end, defeating the conference foe in straight sets to improve their win streak to four. 

Dubuque took the first point of the match in the first set on a Loras attacking error but that was the light time the Spartans held a lead through the remainder of the set as the Duhawks responded with three straight points on a pair of kills from Liz Fleckenstein and Cat Gleason and an attacking error from Dubuque's Darby Hawtrey. Dubuque tried to make a comeback early, tying the set twice before the Duhawks again pulled away by putting four straight on the board on two kills from Lyndsi Wilgenbusch and two errors from Dubuque's Ashlee Adler. Later in the set Loras pulled away by their largest margin of the set, scoring eight straight to go ahead by ten at 17-7. Trying to complete the comeback, the Spartans found themselves within two but a service error from Julie May gave the Duhawks their first set win of the night. 

The Duhawks took the lead from the jump of the second set as Dubuque was plagued by three straight attacking errors. A kill from Wilgenbusch and a service ace off the hand of Gleason brought the score to 6-2 before May took one back for Dubuque, though short lived as another Wilgenbusch kill, a Moira Mixan service ace and a kill from Olivia Smith widened the Loras lead by six at 9-3. The two teams continued to steadily score through the middle of the set but the Spartans couldn't complete the comeback as Fleckenstein put a huge kill to the floor to close out the set with a final score of 25-20. 

Fleckenstein picked up right where she left off in the third set, putting the Duhawks on the board first with another kill that was assisted by Sara Hoskins. A kill from Dubuque's Alexis Adkins tied the set at one apiece but two straight kills from Mixan and a Gleason service ace gave Loras a three point advantage early. Dubuque got two back but the rally was spoiled by Smith who threw one to the floor to spark a six-point tear to go up 10-3. The run saw Smith post two kills, Wilgenbusch with one kill and Mixan with two aces. Loras continued to put steady pressure through the remainder of the set, holding off Dubuque and closing out the match with a monster kill from James Keefe to secure the three set sweep. 

Wilgenbusch and Fleckenstein continued to own the offense with a match-leading 12 points each while Mixan added four. Gleason and Mixan highlighted the Duhawks' strength at the service line with three aces apiece and libero Krystal Tranel had one. Smith locked down the defense at the net with four blocks to her name joined by Wilgenbusch who had three and Gleason with two. Sara Hoskins had a phenomenal night at setter with 33 assists to her name and 16 digs, while Tranel led the Duhawks with 22 digs and Mixan followed with 21. 

The Duhawks are back in action on Friday, Sept. 17 as they open a full weekend of matches in the Loras Invite. The tournament kicks off with the Duhawks facing the Westminster College Blue Jays at 5:00 PM.