Skip To Main Content
Skip To Main Content

Butler University Athletics

Butler University logo
Big East logo
Abby Maesch Kill vs MSU
3
Winner Northern Ky. NKU 3-4,0-0 Horizon
1
Butler Butler 3-4,0-0 Big East
Winner
Northern Ky. NKU
3-4,0-0 Horizon
3
Final
1
Butler Butler
3-4,0-0 Big East
Set Scores
Team 1 2 3 4 F
Northern Ky. NKU 26 25 17 25 (3)
Butler Butler 24 17 25 20 (1)

Game Recap: Women's Volleyball | | Ethan Polak

@ButlerVB Falls 3-1 in the Opening Match Against NKU at the Comfort Inn-Vitational

MOREHEAD, KY. — The Butler volleyball team dropped to Northern Kentucky in four sets (26-24, 25-17, 17-25, 25-20) at the MSU Comfort Inn-Vitational. The Bulldogs fall under .500 with a record of 3-4 for the first time this season while NKU improves to 3-4. 

Set 1: NKU 26-24
Butler began their first match of the tournament by erasing an early NKU 2-0 lead by going on a 6-0 spurt. Destiny Cherry and Mariah Grunze each had a kill and a block to help the Bulldogs secure a 10-4 lead. The Norse would come crawling back to tie the game back up at 12-12. The two teams would remain within a point until the end of the set where NKU would edge out the win 26-24. Jaymeson Kinley finished with a set-high with seven digs.

Set 2: NKU 25-17
Kills by Cherry and Elise Ward helped Butler take an early 4-3 lead in the second set. NKU responded by going on a 4-0 run followed by a 7-0 run to fly out to a 14-5 lead. The Norse would maintain a seven-point deficit eventually closing out the dominant set 25-17. Abby Maesch led the team with six kills while Cora Taylor tallied 11 assists. 

Set 3: Butler 25-17
The third frame was a completely different story for the Bulldogs. The two teams remained within a point for the first half of the match until a 6-0 spurt helped Butler storm out to a 20-13 lead with the help of two serving aces by Grunze. The Bulldogs would continue to momentum until the end of the match securing their first win of the match. Ward had an incredible showing racking up seven kills in the set. 

Set 4: NKU 25-20
Butler fell behind early in the fourth frame after the Norse jumped out to a 3-0 lead. NKU would lengthen their lead after going on a 5-0 run to make the score 8-1. A kill by Ward and a block by Grace Boggess helped the Bulldogs rally back on a 5-0 run cutting the lead to 13-10. The Norse responded with a 5-0 spurt widening the gap to 19-11. Boggess and Grunze helped lead one last-ditch effort to bring the score back to 23-19. The Norse would then spoil the Butler comeback earning the last two points to win the match. Grunze would finish the set with a team-high five kills.

Stat of the Match
Cora Taylor and Mariah Grunze were the only two players to record a double-double in the match. Taylor earned her first double-double of the season with 44 assists and 16 digs while Grunze secured her fourth-straight match with a double-double at 15 kills and 13 digs. 

Inside the Box Score
  • Ward had a breakout game leading the team with a .333 hitting percentage after lodging a career-high 13 kills with just two attacking errors.
  • Grunze led the team with 15 kills while also adding 13 digs and two serving aces.
  • Taylor amassed 44 assists, 16 digs, and two serving aces
  • Boggess secured six kills and a team-high four blocks
  • Kinley absorbed 25 digs and five assists
  • Maesch had nine kills and a serving ace
  • Reese Bates tallied eight digs
Up Next 
The Bulldogs will play another match tonight against Indiana State, beginning at 4:30 p.m. for their second of three matches at the Comfort Inn-Vitational.
 
Print Friendly Version
Butler University Athletics loading logo