A movie writer could not have written a better story for the Bears Classic as this weekend’s games featured emotional, inspirational, hilarious and breathtaking moments.

Washington University sprinted past Peru State University, Principia College, Adrian College and Webster University with clean 3-0 sweeps. Many of the games were quickly decided as Wash. U. stepped up offensively and defensively to prevent scoring runs while creating their own point sprints.

The Bears Classic was emotional as seniors, who were recognized Friday night, had their last games in the Fieldhouse. It was fitting that senior captain Haleigh Spencer scored Wash. U.’s first tournament point.

Against Principia, Spencer had taken the reception from a low serve and Brazeal popped it up; Spencer called for it and thinking she wouldn’t be able to reach it, made a running dive that connected and found an open hole in the Principia defense.

After the game, the Bears tossed mini volleyballs out to their newest supporters and began talking with the young players. Several Bears signed autographs on the volleyballs. “I loved them coming,” said Spencer. “It was nice to have those girls here.”

Everyone on the team had court time contributing points and saves. Spencer, junior setter Audra Janak with a team high of 46 assists and sophomore libero Laura Brazeal with a team high of 25 digs, were named to the All Tournament Team.

“Everybody played so well,” Spencer said. “We flowed together as a team.”

Offensively, the Bears were serving well and spiking with enough force to drill through defensive walls and into the floor. Both junior outside hitter Alli Alberts and senior middle hitter Ellen Bruegge set career highs in serving aces with four and three, respectively.

Defensively, paws were extended as several players made huge solo blocks or diving saves. Sophomore setter Vicki Blood made her first solo block of her collegiate career while Bruegge set a career high of seven block assists.

The Bears, who had won the previous two sets, began the final game against Webster with a cheer of “Take it.”

“It was good to see all the seniors on the court in the last home game as Bears,” said junior outside hitter Nikki Morrison.

Webster responded with the most tightly fought set of the tournament and jumped to a 5-0 lead. Following a long two-minute rally, a block by Bruegge and fellow senior Kathy Leeper put the first point on the board. Wash. U. eventually prevailed 30-25.

“We did a really good job of working through adversity,” said senior defensive specialist Lindsay Schuessler.

After making a twisting, leaping one-handed save that sent the ball curving just inside the net pole, junior Ali Crouch crushed the return with a kill on the boundary line to break the deadlock at 22 points. Crouch had set a career high of 11 kills against Adrian College earlier.

There was a period of worry as Spencer fell to the ground with an injured ankle and was subbed out. With a look of determination, Spencer showed the trainers she was fine. Fans and teammates cheered as she returned, embodying the “never give up” attitude of the Red and Green. The Bears enter the UAA Conference Finals as the top seed, with a 7-0 UAA record this season with games scheduled against a pool composed of Case Western Reserve, Rochester and Carnegie Mellon.

“It’s kind of sad to think it’s my last game, but we still have three weeks,” said Leeper. “I’m excited, I love postseason.”

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