BABSON PARK, Fla. (October 3, 2020) – The Webber International University women's volleyball team kicked off the month of October by hosting Ave Maria University in The Sun Conference Game of the Week, but in the end the Warriors were swept by the Gyrenes 3-0 (25-17, 25-23, 25-22) on Saturday inside the Sabbagh Athletic Center.

Webber (4-5 overall, 2-4 The Sun Conference) has now dropped four straight matches dating back to its loss at home against Florida College on September 22 when the Warriors led two sets to zero before falling in five sets. Ave Maria, meanwhile, earned its third win in a row to maintain its second place standing in The Sun Conference (5-2 in conference matches) and improve to 6-2 overall.

In the opening set, neither team led by more than two until AMU turned an 11-10 deficit into a 15-11 lead with five straight points. The Gyrenes then went up by five at 18-13 before stretching their lead to seven at 22-15 and then winning the set by eight after back-to-back service aces by Hannah Jones.

In the second set, however, Webber was much more competitive, leading 9-4 early on before the Gyrenes came back to lead it 15-11 after a 7-0 run.  

Webber was then able to come back itself to tie the set at 19-19 on a kill by Nadia Reid followed by a block from Nora Burgos-Heredia, but from there AMU took advantage of three straight Warrior attack errors followed by a kill to jump ahead by four at 23-19.

A kill by Burgos-Heredia got Webber back to within one at 24-23 in the second set before AMU won it on another kill.

In the final set, Webber looked poised to take the win and get on the scoreboard up 19-13 after a 4-0 run ending with another kill by Burgos-Heredia.

The Warriors then led 21-16 after back-to-back kills by Burgos-Heredia and Nayelis Alvarado, and then yet another kill by Burgos-Heredia made it 22-18. However from there, the Gyrenes buckled down and answered with an epic 7-0 run to bring the match to an end.

Burgos-Heredia led the Warriors with eight kills and a .429 attack percentage while Svenja Koenig added seven kills with a .438 attack percentage. Amanda Vega dished out 21 assists and added four aces, and Gabriela Lopez and Yanileb Figueroa both reached 10 digs, which was a career-high for Figueroa.

Webber's Head Women's Volleyball Coach Gretchen Hand said after the match, "This season continues to challenge us with injuries. As a program we have depth making adjustments to the lineup. The conference is truly up for grabs and it is going to be an exciting season."

Next week will see Webber battle the first-place team in The Sun Conference, Keiser University, twice. The Warriors and the Seahawks will first play at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, October 7, in West Palm Beach, Florida, before squaring off inside the Sabbagh Athletic Center at 6 p.m. on Saturday, October 10, during Webber's Homecoming Weekend. Webber had previously won seven straight against Keiser before getting swept twice by the Seahawks in the same week last season.