STERLING, Kan. — Sterling College fell to Bethany College in straight sets, 25-23, 25-19, 25-21, on Wednesday, Nov. 5 in the Gleason Center. Despite the loss, Sterling showcased a strong defensive effort with 83 digs. Bethany capitalized on a more efficient attack percentage to secure the victory.
The Lady Warriors opened the first set with a competitive edge, exchanging points with the Swedes early on. The team showcased their scoring abilities, as Aliya McClanahan and Keala Wilson contributed key kills that kept Sterling within striking distance. Despite some service errors, Sterling maintained momentum through effective plays.
Midway through the set, Sterling made a significant push, highlighted by a service ace from Wilson and a critical block by McClanahan and Kodie Herd, which tied the score at 17-17. Sterling briefly took the lead at 19-17, demonstrating their resilience.
As the set drew to a close, a service ace by Grace Battershell leveled the score at 23-23. However, Bethany regained the upper hand with consecutive points, closing out the set at 25-23.
Sterling opened the second set with a strong start, gaining an early point through a kill by Gracie Kirchhoff. McClanahan stood out with multiple kills, consistently tying the score whenever Bethany attempted to pull ahead. Sterling’s defense showed moments of strength, notably with blocks from McClanahan and Kaira Rodriguez.
Despite a competitive exchange of points and Sterling’s efforts to keep the score close, the Swedes managed to create a gap midway through the set. A significant turning point occurred when Bethany scored multiple consecutive points, widening their lead. Sterling called timeouts to strategize, but the Swedes maintained their momentum.
In the closing stretch, Sterling attempted to narrow the deficit with kills from Chloe Schmidt and McClanahan, but Bethany secured the set with a final score of 25-19.
The Lady Warriors opened the third set exchanging points with the Swedes. As the set progressed, Bethany gained momentum with a series of points, capitalizing on Sterling’s attack errors. Sterling responded with key kills from Rodriguez and Schmidt, narrowing the gap to 7-4.
Bethany extended their lead with consistent scoring, highlighted by kills from Alivia Cheatham and Ashlynn Gehring. Sterling’s Brooklyn Kuster provided a service ace and Rodriguez added a kill, but Bethany maintained control, leading 13-9.
Sterling mounted a late rally with contributions from McClanahan and Maddie Lundeen, reducing Bethany’s lead to 21-17. Despite this effort, Bethany closed the set on a strong note, finishing with a 25-21 advantage over Sterling.
McClanahan stood out with a team-high 18 kills on 35 attempts, finishing with a .400 hitting percentage and contributing two blocks. Wilson facilitated the offense efficiently with 26 assists, while also adding four kills and collecting 15 digs. Taylor Dru Lindsey anchored the defense with 18 digs, showcasing strong court coverage. Schmidt provided versatility with 10 kills and three blocks.
Sterling (16-10, 5-7) is set to take on No. 9 ranked Oklahoma Wesleyan (21-2, 10-1) in the Gleason Center on Saturday, Nov. 8 at 1 p.m. in what will be the final regular season game of the season.
