Volleyball wraps up weekend at Blue Dragon Classic, goes 2-2

HUTCHINSON, Kan. – Butler volleyball traveled to Hutchinson this weekend for its last tournament action of the regular season at the Blue Dragon Classic and came away with a 2-2 record on the weekend.

The Grizzlies (11-9) split on both days. On Friday they fell 3-1 to Mineral Area before rebounding with a 3-0 sweep of Iowa Western. ON Saturday the Grizzlies closed the tournament out with a 3-0 sweep of Spartanburg Methodist before falling in four, 3-1 to 17th ranked Indian Hills.

FRIDAY

Mineral Area 3, Butler 1 (23-25, 25-18, 22-25, 22-25)

Butler dropped the first set 25-23 but came roaring back to secure the second set 25-18 and tie the match 1-1.  The Grizzlies hit a team-high .259 in the second set. The Cardinals went on to win sets three and four by a score of 25-22.

Sophomores Maria Eduarda Motta and Sydney Lentz led the Grizzlies with nine kills each as Lentz hit a team-high .429. Motta had a team-high five blocks. Freshman Laynee Brown led with 18 digs while freshman Anja Milosevic added 32 assists.

Butler 3, Iowa Western 0 (25-21, 25-20, 25-17)

Butler picked up its first win of the tournament in a 3-0 sweep of the Reivers. They hit a team-high .378 in the first set, taking it 25-21. Freshman Sarah Sullivan had a team-high 11 kills and 11 digs, finishing with a double-double. Lentz had eight kills on a team-high .438 hitting to go with seven blocks. Butler closed the match out with its biggest set win, 25-17 in the third set.

SATURDAY

Butler 3, Spartanburg Methodist 0 (25-16, 25-16, 26-24)

Butler opened up Saturday with a clean sweep of Spartanburg Methodist. In their set two 25-16 victory, Butler hit a weekend high .533. The Grizzlies won the first two sets 25-16 but Spartanburg made the third and final set close, but Butler won it 26-24. Eduarda Motta and Sullivan each had 13 kills in the win as Eduarda Motta hit a team-high .565. Milosevic posted 35 assists and seven digs while Brown had 24 digs and Lentz four blocks.

No. 17 Indian Hills 3, Butler 1 (27-25, 14-25, 18-25, 23-25)

The toughest test of the tournament for Butler came with 17th ranked Indian Hills. The Grizzlies started strong, winning the first set 27-25 but Indian Hills rallied to win the next three and take the match. It was a rematch from earlier this season at the season opening Reiver Classic where Butler swept then fourth ranked Indian Hills 3-0.

Butler travels to Liberal, Kan., on Wednesday for a KJCCC match with Seward County at 6:30 p.m. CT