NORTH NEWTON, Kan. - The Bethel College Volleyball team looked to continue their historic start to the 2022 season when they hosted the Avila Eagles for KCAC play on Saturday afternoon. The Threshers advanced their conference record to 3-0 with a 3-1 victory over the Eagles (25-18, 17-25, 26-24, 25-23).

Bethel started the match hot hitting .286 in the opening set as they jumped out to a 1-0 lead with a 25-18 victory. Mia Loganbill and Landree Merriman turned in four kills apiece in the set. The Eagles held the lead for much of the early parts of the first set, but the Threshers took control using an 8-0 run that made the score 21-15. BC allowed Avila to score just three more points before putting the game away with a Jordan Boone Kill.

After committing 12 errors in the opening frame, Avila was able to limit their errors to just 7 in the second frame as they took the game 25-17 to even up the contest. Both teams traded points to begin the set until the Eagles tied the match 7-7. At this point Avila scored six straight points to take over the contest. Bethel was never able to get back into the contest as the Eagles took the set. 

Kylah Carter came alive in the third set with a set high 5 kills to lead BC. Bethel took a 3-0 lead to start the set and didn't relinquish it until Avila scored five straight points to take a 12-11 advantage. After both teams battled back and forth, Bethel used a 5-0 run to take a 22-18 advantage. The Threshers held a four point advantage and had the Eagles against the ropes with a set point. Avila scored four straight points to tie it at 24. The Threshers used an Eagle error and a Loganbill kill to put the set away taking a 2-1 lead. 

With Bethel looking to close out the match in the fourth set, Avila came out strong and answered every Thresher run. The two KCAC foes went blow for blow in the set with Bethel holding the largest lead of the game, 17-12. Trailing 23-22, the Threshers scored the final points with kills from Merriman, a Eagle error and the seventh kill of the set for Carter.

The Threshers are off to their best start since 2010 when they finished 24-13 and started the KCAC with four straight wins. 

Kylah Carter led the Threshers attack with 16 kills, Loganbill added in 15 of her own. Kaitlyn Shima turned in a double-double with 25 assits and 10 digs. Katey Wilhelm led the Thresher defense with 24 digs. 

Bethel will be back on the court on Tuesday, October 4th as they travel up I-135 to take on the Kansas Wesleyan Coyotes with first serve set for 7:00 PM.