STORM LAKE, Iowa – Nebraska Wesleyan battled Buena Vista throughout Wednesday's American Rivers Conference opener, but the Prairie Wolves fell to the unbeaten Beavers, 3-0 (27-25, 25-22, 25-22), at Siebens Fieldhouse.
Macy Plucker led Nebraska Wesleyan with 13 kills while hitting .355 for the match. Ella Foote added nine kills while hitting .353, and Elecea Saathoff recorded 24 assists and 11 digs. As a team, the Prairie Wolves hit .157 against a Buena Vista squad that entered the match having dropped just two sets all season.
Nebraska Wesleyan controlled much of the opening set early, jumping ahead 3-0 and later building a 20-16 advantage. Buena Vista answered with six straight points to move in front, but the Prairie Wolves battled back to tie the set at 24-24 on a Plucker kill. The Beavers then secured the final two points to take the opener, 27-25.
The second set remained tight throughout, featuring 15 ties and nine lead changes. NWU held a 21-19 advantage following a kill by Molly Ramirez, but Buena Vista closed the set on a 6-1 run to claim a 25-22 victory. The Prairie Wolves hit .179 in the set, but the Beavers countered with a .286 attack percentage of their own.
Buena Vista created separation early in the third set, taking a 12-7 lead. Nebraska Wesleyan responded with a six-point stretch that included kills from Foote and Plucker, an ace from Plucker and a block by Mikyna Stoppkotte, cutting the deficit to 17-15. The Beavers regained control and pushed their lead back to four before finishing off the match, 25-22.
With the loss, Nebraska Wesleyan drops to 9-6 overall and 0-1 in A-R-C play, while Buena Vista improves to 14-0 and 1-0. The Prairie Wolves still hold a 10-9 advantage in the all-time series. NWU is now 6-2 in three-set matches this season.
Nebraska Wesleyan heads to the Millikin Big Blue Showdown Friday, Oct. 9, facing (RV) Albion at 7 p.m.
