Margaret BauerFollowing a successful showing at Fontbonne University on Senior Night, the Bears squared off against Division II foe SIU-Edwardsville at Edwardsville, Ill. Despite a strong effort, the Bears fell 0-3, snapping their fourteen-game winning streak. The Bears fell behind early to the Cougars, who never looked back as they dropped the Bears to 20-5.
On Friday, however, the Bears bounced back against 13th-ranked University of Wisconsin-Platteville by coming from behind to win 3-2. This victory avenged a heartbreaking loss at home earlier in the season. Junior Nicole Hodgman picked up her thousandth career dig in the following game against 11th-ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater. The Bears, as a team, recorded a total of 92 digs and 12 blocks. Unfortunately for the Bears, the remarkable defensive effort was not enough, and they fell 2-3.
This Saturday, the Bears cruised through the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Invitational. The Bears posted two impressive victories against Baldwin-Wallace College and Lakeland College. The Bears easily swept Baldwin-Wallace with scores of 30-28, 30-24 and 31-29, and ousted Lakeland with scores of 30-21, 29-31, 30-23 and 30-27. The third-ranked Bears improved their record to 23-6.
Key contributors led the Bears from all different positions. Different players stepped up in each game to lead the Bears to an impressive showing at the invitational. Against Baldwin-Wallace College, junior Megan Houck recorded twelve kills and senior Colleen Winter also posted twelve kills to go along with twelve digs. In the second match against Lakeland College, sophomore Whitney Smith stepped up and contributed thirteen kills on twenty-one swings, demonstrating incredible efficiency. To go along with that, junior Kara Liefer displayed her remarkable overall skills by recording her sixth career triple-double. For the record, she almost put up a triple-double in the Bears’ loss to University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Invitational. She finished the four games with ten kills, ten digs and forty-four assists. In addition, freshman Emilie Walk blocked eight, while junior Nicole Hodgman dug up twenty. Freshman sensation Walk continues to shine time and time again as the season wears on.
Individually speaking, the Bears are loaded with tremendous depth and talent up and down the entire roster. Sophomore middle-hitter Whitney Smith dominated at the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Invitational, finishing with a total of 51 kills on 104 swings.
The Bears currently stand 23-6 overall for the season, and 7-0 in University Athletic Association (UAA) play. With that record, the Bears sit atop the rankings. The Bears are scheduled to continue their season on Nov. 5th, when they face off against Brandeis University, University of Rochester and New York University. If things go as expected, and the Bears sweep their scheduled competition, the Bears are slated to play the following day in a series of not yet determined games in an attempt to capture the UAA championship title once again. The Bears have brought home the UAA championship title for the last fifteen years, and it would be no surprise to see them capture it once again.