ATLANTA – Bella Boston pounded 21 kills to lead Berry College to a 3-1 win over 19th-ranked Whitworth in the opening round of the 2024 NCAA Division III volleyball tournament on Thursday morning at Emory University's Woodruff Arena.
The Pirates (24-3) won the opening set but could not sustain the momentum in a 19-25, 25-20, 29-27, 25-18 loss to the Vikings (17-13), who advance to Friday's second round.
Whitworth hit .278 in the opening set with 14 kills and four errors in 36 attempts. But the Pirates could not sustain the offensive efficiency against Berry's defense and finished the match with an uncharacteristic .059 hitting percentage.
Whitworth led throughout the first set, opening a 16-11 lead on a kill by Ella Jimenez. The Bucs kept a four-to-six point advantage of the Vikings and finished off the game on a block from Cassidy Franklin and Lindsey Short.
Whitworth had the early advantage in the second set, taking an 8-5 lead on an ace by Josephine Thompson. Berry used a 5-1 burst to go up 10-9 on an ace from Andrea Hurt. With the set tied 13-13, the Vikings used a 5-0 run to take a lead they would not lose. After the Pirates closed to within 21-20 on Berry's service error, the Vikings scored the set's final four points.
The third set may have decided the match. The Vikings jumped out to an 8-2 lead before Whitworth responded with a 7-1 run to get within 9-8 on a Berry setting error. The Pirates could not get over the top and into until 20-19. Abigail Hudson's kill put the Bucs at set point (24-22), but Berry answered with three points in a row. The teams traded points four times until Lura Underwood's kill ended the frame in the Viking's favor.
Whitworth hung close through the opening points of the final set, but a -.194 hitting percentage in the final frame doomed the Pirates. Trailing 20-14 Whitworth had one last gasp to get within 20-17 on a Berry attack error. That's as close as the Bucs would get as the Vikings closed on a 5-1 run.
Jimenez led Whitworth with 13.0 points in her final match as a Pirate on nine kills, two aces and three blocks (one solo, two assists). Amblessed Okemgbo also had nine kills. Lauren Kremer was in on half of the Pirates' 12.0 team blocks with one solo and six assists. Josephine Thompson (16) and Megan Lange (15) combined for 31 of Whitworth's 37 assists. Taylor Miche flew around the court to record 24 digs.
Boston, Berry's 6-1 senior opposite, was too strong for the Vikings. She finished with 23.5 points by posting 21 kills (.294) and five block assists. Keira Kruk added a dozen kills. Cypress Guenther had seven block assists.
