After a heart-breaking loss in Collins Center on Sept. 21 to Evangel University, the Baker volleyball team bounced back to defeat Culver-Stockton College and Graceland University to take over second place in the conference.
“Evangel was a tough loss,” junior Brooke Allen said. “We fought our hearts out and put so much into the game and it kind of just drains you and just kind of gets your hopes down, but having these two matches and winning them is getting our confidence back up for Lindenwood (University) this weekend.”
The team’s three-set sweep, 25-23, 25-23, 25-22, against Culver-Stockton Friday was a confidence booster after a season-high, four-game losing streak.
Sophomore Jana Boss led BU with 35 assists, while Allen and junior Kelsey Cobb led the team in digs with 16 and 12 respectively.
“It was big,” head coach Kathy Allen said. “It allowed the team to feel good and relax for the weekend and they were fresh for practice on Monday.”
BU then defeated Graceland on the road Tuesday in five sets, 25-17, 25-18, 23-25, 23-25, 19-17.
The Wildcats were led by senior Brooke Pryor, who recorded 16 kills, and Allen, who tallied 25 digs.
“Graceland is always a hard place to play at,” Kathy Allen said. “They’ve got a really big, airy gym that’s got different lighting, and Stew McDole is a really good coach and they are always dangerous. They play hard and they dug up a lot of balls.”
While coach Allen was satisfied with the victory, she thought they could have played better.
“We played well the first two games, but the last three, we kind of came out a little flat, and we had to work really hard, but we ended up getting a win and that is really all that matters,” Brooke Allen said. “We just have to take what we did this last game into practice and learn from it to get better.”
Boss was named the HAAC Setter of the Week for her performance against Evangel University and Culver-Stockton. Before the Graceland match, Boss was No. 15 in the country in assists with 659 on the season.
Brooke Allen leads the conference in digs, with 373 on the season, and senior Christina Delladio leads the HAAC in blocks with 88.
The next match for the Wildcats is Friday against No. 24 Lindenwood University.
Lindenwood comes into the match 3-1 in conference play, with its only loss also against Evangel.
Baker will then play Missouri Baptist College and No. 8 Columbia College (Mo.) Saturday to wrap up the Lindenwood Quad in St. Charles, Mo.
“I’m looking forward to going up there and playing those games,” Pryor said. “If we play like we did against Evangel, we should be in good shape.”
