SILOAM SPRINGS -- Freshman Savanna Riney led all players with 14 kills, hitting .367 with four digs, as the John Brown University volleyball team completed a weekday sweep of Williams Baptist (Ark.) with a three-set victory (25-6, 25-17, 25-22) on Tuesday (March 16) evening inside Bill George Arena.
The win improved the Golden Eagles (7-2) to 3-0 inside Bill George Arena and 2-0 in non-conference play this season. Visiting Williams Baptist lost its second in a row and is 0-7 versus John Brown since 2004.
John Brown's three top hitters all finished over .300 – powering the Golden Eagles to a .313 evening (46-11-112) – the second time JBU has finished over .300 this season.
Freshman Delaney Barnes recorded nine kills while sophomore Ellie Lampton added seven to three block assists. Splitting the setting duties sophomore Lauren Cloud (16 assists) and junior Morgan Fincham (14 assists) ran an efficient offense to the tune of 42 helpers on 46 kills (.913) and hit over .400 in the first and second sets of the evening. Cloud added three services aces
Sophomore Jillian Blackman again hit the 20-dig mark with 22 scoops. Blackman has won the league's Defensive Player of the Week for the last two weeks, consecutively.
Behind the .400 hitting effort in the first two sets, the Golden Eagles never trailed. However, in the third, the visiting Eagles did force four ties and took its first, and only, lead of the evening early in the set. Riney posted five terminations and Blackman gobbled up 11 digs in the game. A pair of late Riney kills and a Blackman ace turned a 21-20 John Brown lead into capturing four of the final six points.
Monica Guerrero's seven kills led the Williams Baptist effort, while Morgan Feltrop hit .375 (3-0-8) on the evening, but WBU finished the contest at a mere .048 (24-19-104) clip offensively.
JBU will finally get a rest, at least until Saturday, when the Golden Eagles welcome Central Christian (Kan.) to Bill George Arena for a 3 p.m. matchup. The match will air live on the SAC Sports Network.
FOLLOW THE GOLDEN EAGLES
Don't miss a minute of the latest action surrounding JBU Athletics by following the Golden Eagles on Twitter (@JBUathletics), Instagram (@JBUathletics) and Facebook (/JBUathletics).
