Bethel Volleyball Battles Through Doubleheader in Jackson
JACKSON, Tenn. –Bethel Volleyball opened its Saturday doubleheader at J.F. Lane Gymnasium with a tough loss to Southeastern Oklahoma State before bouncing back with a five-set battle against Lane College in the nightcap.
Match One: Southeastern Oklahoma State 3, Bethel 0
The Wildcats fell in straight sets (25-18, 25-8, 25-19) to the Savage Storm, who hit a strong .303 as a team. Southeastern's balanced attack was led by Gabby Jones with nine kills and three digs, while setter Jasmin Dion dished out 22 assists and three aces.
For Bethel, Clara Feresin stood out with five kills on a .444 hitting clip and added six points overall. Katie Pennington chipped in four kills and five digs, while Sara Ulrich contributed two aces and six digs. Setter Mackenzie McCammon tallied nine assists and one ace in the effort.
Despite a late push in the third set, Bethel could not overcome Southeastern's efficient offense and depth.
Match Two: Lane 3, Bethel 2
The Wildcats showed resilience in their second match of the day, pushing Lane College to five sets before narrowly falling 3-2 (23-25, 31-29, 25-21, 22-25, 17-15).
Katie Pennington had a career performance, hammering down 18 kills while collecting 10 digs for a double -double. Kennedi Morrison added 11 kills and a team-high 16 digs, while Emma Cart (8 kills, 5 digs) and Clara Feresin (7 kills) provided steady offense.
Setter Mackenzie McCammon ran the attack with 28 assists and added 10 digs, while Camila Sandoval contributed 16 assists and nine digs in a strong two-setter system. Defensively, Sara Ulrich anchored the back row with an impressive 33 digs.
For Lane, Kyra Gaston powered the Dragons with 22 kills on .295 hitting, while Jadyn Powell (13 kills, 24 digs) and Malaya Young (9 kills, 3 blocks) provided balance.
The final set was a thriller, with both teams trading points deep into extra play before Lane held on 17-15 to secure the victory.
Up Next
Bethel (3-6) continues its early season slate of the year on the road at Williams Baptist Tuesday and will return home Friday for conference foe Freed-Hardeman Lady Lions. The Wildcats showed promise in the second match, pushing Lane to the limit and highlighting standout performances from Pennington, Morrison, and Ulrich.
"We took a step forward today, especially in that second match," said Bethel head coach Michele Cunha. "We battled point for point and showed the grit that we've been working on. Katie was aggressive and smart on the net, Sara played with incredible heart in the back row, and our setters worked hard to create opportunities. Matches like this show us we're right there now, it's about consistency and finishing. I'm proud of the fight, and we'll keep building from here."
--
--