STORM LAKE, IOWA – The Luther volleyball team picked up its first American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) win with a 3-0 (25-11, 26-24, 25-23) sweep of Buena Vista. The Norse were led offensively by Sarina Stortz with 17 kills and 30 assists from Emma Kowalczyk. Karoline Tiu had 16 digs in the match leading the defense. Luther is now 6-12 overall and 1-2 in A-R-C play.
 
The Norse got the weekend road trip started on the right foot coming out strong against the Beavers. Luther ponded Buena Vista early taking an 8-1 lead in the first set. Both the offense and defense were working together to get the job done. The Beavers got a point back before the Norse rattled off a run of five points with two kills from Sarina Stortz with one from Emma Kowalczyk, and two service aces from Kyah Olson-Sola had Luther at a commanding 13-2 advantage. Luther never let the pressure up as Buena Vista attempted to dig out of the hole. The Norse closed out the set 25-11.
 
Buena Vista regrouped in the second as this time Luther found themselves down 10-17. The six-point rally would start as Lindsay Hanson recorded the kill pulling within one. The Beavers took a two-point lead back as the teams battled as the dragged on. The Norse kept fighting tying it all up at 20 points with a kill from Emily Hagen. However, the next four points were exchanged back and forth until it was knotted up at 24 all. Luther won the set 26-24 on three back-to-back errors on Buena Vista for a 2-0 lead in the match.
 
In the third set, The Norse were leading 5-2 off the service ace from Gabbie Schei. That lead didn't last for long with the Beavers reclaimed the lead at 7-6. Zoe Verhey found a way to put down the kill at 8 all. But Buena Vista slowly inched out to 14-10 though Luther wasn't giving up. Another six-point run ending on a service ace from Olson-Sola put the Norse up by two at 18-16. From there Luther was in control the rest of the set.

The Beavers tried to bounce back when the match was tied at 23 but two quick back-to-back kills from Stortz won the set 25-23 for the Norse. Luther earns its first conference win of the season as they get the sweep.
 
TOP NORSE

• Sarina Stortz had 17 kills on 32 attempts hitting .438 in the match and also recorded three solo blocks.
• Karoline Tiu had 16 digs leading the Norse defense which for her is a season high.

 
QUOTE FROM COACH
"Finally had our backrow and front row firing on all cylinders tonight. It's a long trip and they came to compete! Very proud of the standard they set tonight."
 
UP NEXT
Luther continues their road trip out west with Nebraska Wesleyan on Saturday, October 7 at 1 pm in Lincoln, Nebraska.