Wildcats Swept by No. 8 Park at Home

BALDWIN CITY, Kan. – Hosting a top-25 team for the second straight week, the Baker volleyball team fell in its conference match against No. 8 Park in straight sets on Tuesday night in Baldwin City.

After the Wildcats pushed the Pirates to extra points in the first set, Park went on to complete the sweep with consecutive scores of 25-13 in the second and third sets.

Kierra Hipple led the Wildcats with nine kills, while adding six digs and an ace as well. Kierstyn Harmon tallied 12 assists and Reese Kehl marked a team-high 11 digs.

In the first set, the Pirates jumped out to an early lead, but BU capitalized on a couple of attacks by Hipple and Adelyn Bybee to get within a point at 8-7. Then, a string of four points by the Wildcats put them on top where they would hold a two-point lead with another Hipple kill making it 18-16. An attack by Olivia Deichmann gave the Wildcats a chance at set point, but the Pirates responded to claim the next three sets and win the opening frame, 26-24.

The Pirates earned the first seven points of the second set and pushed its lead out to double digits with a 6-0 run midway through the set. Baker went on a 5-0 run during a set of Harmon serves to cut the deficit to 18-9 before the Pirates went on to win the second set, 25-13 and take a 2-0 led in the match.

After Bybee opened the third with an ace, Park rolled off 15 consecutive points and went up 16-4 on a set of blocks by their front. Kills by Harmon and Deichmann brought the Wildcats within single digits at 21-12, but the Pirates would go on to seal the match by taking the final set, 25-13.

Up next, Baker travels up the road to face conference foe Benedictine on Saturday, Oct. 21 at 11 a.m. in Atchison, Kan.

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