ST. LOUIS, Mo. – The No. 11 Washington University in St. Louis volleyball team wrapped up action at its Bear Invite with a pair of wins on Saturday. The Bears opened the day with a 3-0 sweep of Bluffton before coming back for a 3-2 win over Carthage in the final match of the day.

WashU 3, Bluffton 0 
The Beavers looked to make a statement early in the match but could not carry any momentum as WashU swept Bluffton on Saturday morning.

A quick 8-1 start by Bluffton was slowly chipped away at and eventually a 6-1 run brought the Bears back within two at 12-10 after a kill from first-year Nia Jones.

With the Beavers leading 18-14, WashU scored the next six-straight points to take a 20-18 lead. Tied up at 21-21, the Bears used a quick 3-0 run to earn a set point. A kill from senior Naya Ohuabunwa closed out the first set 25-23.

Bluffton scored the first two points of the second set, but after that, it was all Bears as WashU went on a 15-2 run to put themselves out of reach. Despite cutting the lead down to five on a pair of occasions late, a kill from junior Leah Oyewole and a service ace from first-year Isabel Campie sealed the second set 25-18.

WashU trailed only once in the third set, and for only one point, at 11-10. The Bears used a pair of kills by Oyewole to regain the lead that they would not give up.

Tied at 14-14, a 7-0 run put WashU ahead enough that the small runs that Bluffton was able to score on would not be enough as the Bears claimed the set 25-22 and the match 3-0.

Oyewole led the offense with 10 kills and a .250 hitting percentage. Junior Ellie Laird had a match-high 19 digs. Senior Sam Buckley had 33 assists, seven more than the Beavers had as a team.

WashU 3, Carthage 2 
In a thriller to close out the weekend, WashU came back from a 2-1 set deficit, and 17-11 down in the fourth set to remain undefeated with a five-set win over Carthage.

The first set saw both teams unable to pull away with the score tied at 9-9. That is when the Bears used a 6-1 run to jump out ahead 15-10.

Carthage pulled within just one point at 22-21, but a Firebird attack error along with kills by Ohuabunwa and Buckley closed out the set 25-21.

It was looking like WashU would take a two-set lead with its leading 21-17 late in the second set. However, Carthage scored eight of the next nine points to level the match at a set piece, 25-22.

The third set was all Firebirds as they led by as many as 13 at 22-9. The Bears attempted a comeback, scoring the next four points, but Carthage closed out the set with a pair of points to take a 2-1 match lead.

Runs were the name of the game in the fourth set as WashU led 4-2 before Carthage took a 7-4 lead, followed by a 4-1 run by the Bears to tie the score at 8-8.

With the score tied at 11-11, Carthage jumped ahead 17-11. The Bears answered the run with a 4-1 to cut the lead down to just three. Trailing by five at 20-15, WashU pieced together a 7-0 stretch to take a two-point lead, 22-20. The Bears got their first set point at 24-22 before the Firebirds tied the set at 24-24.

However, an attack error and kill from Jones leveled the match with a 26-24 set win for the Bears.

The deciding fifth set to 15 saw Carthage take a quick 3-0 lead. But much like the fourth set, it was a WashU run that put them out of reach. This time it was a 9-0 stretch that gave the Bears the lead for good.

The Firebirds would never get closer than five at 10-5 before WashU used an Oyewole kill and pair of Carthage attack errors to complete the comeback with a 15-6 set five win. Oyewole connected on seven kills in the final set off assists from Buckley on each.

The offense went through Oyewole and Ohuabunwa as they pair went for 19 kills and 11 kills, respectively, with Buckley guiding them with 46 total assists for the match-high.

The Bears' defense shined late as they finished with 26 block assists and 75 total digs. Senior Eva Boling and Ohuabunwa each tallied eight block assists. Laird and first-year Avery Reed tied for the team-high in digs with 15 to lead four players in double-figure digs. Campie and first-year Abby Krause had 13 and 12 digs, respectively.

WashU will hit the road for the first time this season next weekend when it travels to Oshkosh, Wis., for the Marty Petersen Invitational. The Bears will face off against the host Titans on Friday, Sept. 5 at 2 p.m. On Saturday, Sept. 6 they will take on Claremont-Mudd-Scripps and Wis.-Stevens Point in back-to-back matches starting at 12:30 p.m.
 
--------------------------------------
Elevating scholar-champions requires resources beyond the institutional budget. Through the W Club, generous alumni, parents, and friends provide unrestricted support that is essential to the extraordinary WashU student-athlete experience—and the ongoing growth and development of the department. Annual support for Athletics allows the Bears to consistently rise to national levels of competition and ensures that our student-athletes enjoy exceptional opportunities as they train, compete, and lead. To make a gift to the Annual Fund for Athletics, please visit our secure online giving form or contact the Athletics Advancement Office at (314) 935-5279 or athletics@wustl.edu.