Sterling sweeps Tabor in Hillsboro

HILLSBORO, Kan. - Sterling College swept Tabor College 25-16, 25-19, 25-12 on Wednesday, Oct. 22. Sterling's attack was efficient with 37 kills and a .224 hitting percentage, while their defense recorded 64 digs. Tabor struggled offensively with a .008 hitting percentage. Sterling also excelled in serving, contributing five aces to the victory.

Sterling College started the first set with decisive momentum, quickly establishing a 4-0 lead, aided by consecutive attack errors from the Bluejays. Keala Wilson delivered two crucial kills, extending the advantage to 6-2. Grae Battershell's consistent setting facilitated additional points, including a service ace by Brooklyn Kuster, bringing the score to 11-4 in favor of Sterling.

Sterling continued to control the pace, with Aliya McClanahan and Kodie Herd adding to the lead through effective kills. Despite Tabor's attempts to close the gap, including a service ace that brought the score to 20-15, Sterling maintained composure. The set concluded with Sterling capitalizing on Tabor's errors and a final kill by McClanahan, securing a 25-16 victory in the first set.

Sterling College began the second set with a focused attack, benefiting from an early kill by McClanahan and a block by Wilson, pushing the score to 3-1. Wilson's serving proved effective, as she delivered back-to-back aces to stretch the lead to 8-4. Despite a brief Bluejay rally, Sterling's defensive efforts, highlighted by Wilson's blocks, kept the advantage at 12-7.

Midway through the set, Sterling maintained control with consistent play. McClanahan continued her strong performance, adding multiple kills, while the Bluejays faced challenges with errors. Even after Tabor's attempts to close the gap following timeouts, Sterling managed to sustain their lead, ending the set with a final score of 25-19.

The Lady Warriors started the third set with a focused effort, quickly establishing momentum through McClanahan's early kills, assisted by Wilson and Battershell. After initially trading points with the Bluejays to a 7-7 tie, Sterling surged ahead on a decisive 7-1 scoring run, highlighted by a service ace from Kuster and effective blocks by Herd and Chloe Schmidt.

Tabor called a timeout to regroup, but Sterling continued their offensive push, benefiting from the Bluejays' attack errors and strong net play from McClanahan and Kaira Rodriguez. The visitors extended their lead with a series of blocks and kills, leaving Tabor unable to close the gap. Sterling completed the set with a score of 25-12, securing the set with a commanding finish.

McClanahan led the team with 11 kills, hitting .556, and contributed defensively with five total blocks. Battershell was pivotal in defense, recording 17 digs while also adding 14 assists. Wilson recorded five kills, 14 assists and three service aces, contributing to her total of 10 points. Rodriguez added seven kills with a hitting percentage of .333, alongside three digs.

With the win, the Lady Warriors move to 14-8 overall, 4-5 in conference. Sterling will host the University of Saint Mary (19-7, 6-2) and Haskell (7-27) on Saturday, Oct. 25. The Lady Warriors will play USM at 1 p.m. and Haskell at 5 p.m.

Be sure to check for news and updates on Sterling Warrior Athletics on Facebook (/SCWarriors), Twitter (@SterlingCSports), and Instagram (sterlingcsports), as well as the hashtag #SwordsUp. Watch the Warriors' live home events on the Sterling College Sports Network.