Baker Volleyball Falls in Conference Opener to No. 14 Park

PARKVILLE, Mo. - After totaling five sweeps in its 7-1 non-conference slate, Baker volleyball fell victim to a conference-opening sweep by No. 14 Park on Tuesday night to give the Wildcats just their second loss of the season.

BU, who went five sets in its only other setback of the year, dropped their three rounds in Parkville, Mo. with the Pirates winning on scores of 25-17, 25-13 and 25-11.

Park hit .359 and totaled nine aces in the match. Kylie Murray, Kaitlyn Stout and Aby Widhalm each recorded five kills for BU, while Grace Wood had seven assists.

After the Pirates jumped out to a quick lead in the opening set, the Wildcats got back-to-back kills from both Stout and Widhalm, followed by an ace from Alyssa Champane to cut it to a two-point game at 14-12. Taryn Dial provided another ace later in the set to keep BU close, but Park won seven of the final points to claim set one, 25-17.

Park had a third of its first 15 points in set two come from the service line with five aces putting the hosts in control at 15-5. The Pirates went on to keep it a double-digit distance before taking the second set, 25-13.

In set three, Stout and Widhalm each connected on attacks in the early going to keep the score tied before Park started to create some separation and go up by double figures again. Murray and Stout each registered a kill, but the Pirates completed their Tuesday night sweep with a 25-11 win in the third set.

Baker will be back home to host the first of back-to-back matches this weekend, beginning with a Homecoming matchup against Mount Mercy on Saturday, Sept. 21 at 11 a.m. inside the Collins Center. The Wildcats will close out the weekend with a match against Clarke on Sunday, Sept. 22 at 2 p.m. in Baldwin City.

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