WAVERLY, Iowa – The undefeated and fifth-ranked Wartburg College volleyball team (23-0, 7-0 A-R-C) secured at least a share of the 2021 American Rivers Conference (A-R-C) Championship tonight with a 3-0 sweep of Simpson College (7-10, 4-2 A-R-C).
This year’s title marks the seventh consecutive and tenth all-time for the Wartburg program. Additionally, this is their second championship inside of one calendar year, having last earned the title on March 27, 2021, during the altered 2020 fall-to-spring season.
Jennifer Walker and
Doug Frazell have guided Wartburg to eight of the program's ten titles as co-head coaches (2015-21, 2013). Walker, as a solo head coach, picked up the program's two additional titles in 2012 and 2002.
The Knights close out conference play tomorrow morning at 11:00 a.m. with a home match against Central College (14-9, 3-3 A-R-C). A win by the Knights will gain them the outright 2021 A-R-C Championship.
Wartburg came out ready to play against the Storm, taking set one 25-15. The momentum carried into a set two 25-10 victory. Simpson wasn’t looking to go away easy, battling hard in the third set, from an early 5-5 tie to a late 17-16 lead. Down the stretch Wartburg was too much, pulling a way to a 25-19 win.
Offensively, the Knights were led by
Kennedy Meister with 10 kills.
Jayme Willemssen and
Kylie Bildstein added nine and eight kills, respectively, with both kitting 0.389. Setting up the offense was
Claire Marsh, who dealt 29 assists. At the net Willemssen added three blocks and Bildstein two. On the receiving end
Katie Foster paced the squad with 20 digs.
Caroline Kluesner added 10 digs and Meister eight.
Tonight’s victory earned Wartburg the top seed and a bye in the six-team conference tournament that starts Tuesday, November 2. The team’s first tournament game will take place Friday, November 5, when they serve as host of the four-team semifinal round. The championship match will be played Saturday, November 6, also hosted by Wartburg. The league’s final matches on October 23, 26, and 27 will determine the remaining seeds for the conference tournament. The tournament winner gets the conference's automatic berth to the NCAA Division III Women’s Volleyball Championship.
Regional play of the NCAA Division III Tournament takes place 11/11/2021 - 11/14/2021 at eight, to be determined, campus sites. The national tournament finals will take place 11/18/2021 – 11/20/2021 at the Francis Fieldhouse in St. Louis, Mo.
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