MANKATO, Minn. - After claiming the first set against Hamline on Tuesday night, Bethany volleyball (11-7) lost the next three in a four-set non-conference defeat.
The match was closely contested throughout and that began from the start. The first set featured 16 ties and six lead changes. Hamline gained momentum late with five straight points for a 23-19 lead and held set point at 24-20, but two kills by Lilly Mehrkens, one from Lexiss Trygg, an ace by Abby Distad, and an attack error gave the Vikings a 25-24 lead. The Pipers fought off two set points by the Vikings, but the home squad took the set 28-26 after an attack error followed by a Sydney Carlson kill.
Bethany held an early lead in the second but that went away following a 10-2 Hamline run, giving the visitors a 16-9 lead. The Vikings came within three at 21-18, but the Pipers closed it out 25-20.
Once again, the Vikings claimed an early lead in the third at 5-2, but an 8-2 run flipped the lead to Hamline at 10-7. The third frame came down to the wire after a Mehrkens kill gave the Vikings a 22-21 lead, followed by three straight by the Pipers to serve set point at 24-22. The home team was able to tie the score at 24 but Hamline answered with consecutive kills to win 26-24.
After trailing early in the fourth, the Vikings rattled off five straight points for an 11-9 advantage, but the Pipers bounced right back with an 8-1 run to regain the lead for good, going on to a 25-21 win.
Bethany hit at a .206 rate with Mehrkens leading the way at 20 kills. Trygg added 14 and Carlson had 13. Distad pushed around 43 assists with 15 digs for the double-double. Kylie Smidt led the back line with 18 digs.
The Vikings are off for 10 days and return to conference play Oct. 17 at North Central.
