WINFIELD, Kan. — Southwestern College battled through five competitive sets Saturday afternoon, but came up just short against Tabor College, falling 3-2 (25-21, 19-25, 24-26, 25-23, 13-15) in KCAC action at Stewart Field House.
The Moundbuilders dropped to (6-12) (0-7), while the Bluejays improved to (8-12) (2-4).
Southwestern delivered a strong offensive effort throughout the match, finishing with 54 kills, 45 assists, 12 service aces and 59 digs. The Moundbuilders also demonstrated resilience, overcoming a late deficit in the fourth set and nearly completing another comeback in the deciding fifth set.
The Builders opened the match with an impressive first-set performance, establishing an early advantage behind contributions from Mikki Johnson, Charli Richardson and Natalie Blaufuss. Southwestern used a five-point scoring run to take a 12-8 lead, forcing a Tabor timeout. The Moundbuilders maintained control down the stretch, with Johnson delivering the final kill to secure a 25-21 first set victory.
Tabor responded in the second set, finding its offensive rhythm and hitting .407 while recording 13 kills. Despite offensive contributions from Johnson, Blaufuss and Haleigh Weber, Southwestern struggled to slow the Bluejays' attack as Tabor evened the match with a 25-19 victory.
The third set featured one of the afternoon's most competitive stretches, with 11 ties and four lead changes. Southwestern built a 16-14 advantage before Tabor answered with a five-point run to take a 19-16 lead. The Builders continued battling, eventually tying the score at 24 following kills from Richardson and Ayden Joely-Petroff. However, Tabor secured the final two points to claim the set 26-24 and take a 2-1 match lead.
Facing elimination in the fourth set, Southwestern delivered its strongest offensive performance of the afternoon, recording 16 kills and hitting .275. After trailing 22-18 late in the frame, the Moundbuilders rallied behind Johnson and Kailey Lesquier, who helped spark a six-point run that gave Southwestern a 24-22 advantage. The Builders held on for a 25-23 victory, forcing a decisive fifth set.
Tabor jumped ahead 4-0 to begin the final set and maintained an advantage throughout much of the frame. Trailing 12-7, Southwestern mounted one final comeback, scoring five consecutive points behind kills from Blaufuss and Richardson and a service ace from Ariel Heinrich to tie the score at 12. Weber later delivered a kill to even the set at 13, but the Bluejays secured the final two points to escape with a 15-13 victory.
Johnson led Southwestern offensively with a team-high 16 kills and two service aces. Richardson followed with an impressive all-around performance, recording 12 kills, 13 digs and two service aces for a double-double.
Blaufuss contributed 11 kills, 20 assists, eight digs and three service aces, providing a strong presence on both sides of the ball. Joely-Petroff added six kills, 18 assists, 13 digs and one solo block, while Weber finished with six kills on 11 attempts and a team-best .455 hitting percentage.
Defensively, Brooklyn Milleson anchored the Moundbuilders with a match-high 17 digs, five assists and two service aces. Heinrich and Kadance Heumann each added a service ace, contributing to Southwestern's strong serving performance.
For Tabor, Esther Nederveen led the Bluejays with a match-high 21 kills while hitting .419. Camila Mendes-Toledo added 13 kills, and Kingzley Ratzlaff contributed 11. Annerieke Nederveen directed the offense with 46 assists, while Josephine Fuamatu recorded five service aces.
Despite the loss, Southwestern showed determination throughout the five-set contest, particularly in its fourth-set comeback and late fifth-set rally. The Moundbuilders' 12 service aces and balanced offensive production highlighted a competitive performance against their conference opponent.
Southwestern will return to action Wednesday against Haskell Indian Nations University at Stewart Field House. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
