WINFIELD, Kan. — Southwestern College closed out its 2026 season on a high note Saturday night, sweeping York University 28-26, 25-20, 25-21 inside Stewart Fieldhouse to earn their first KCAC victory of the season on Senior Night.
The Builders (8-17) (1-12), which came on Senior Night as Southwestern honored senior setter Natalie Blaufuss.
Mikki Johnson powered the Southwestern offense with17 kills on 36 attempts, hitting .306 while adding two service aces. Charli Richardson delivered a double-double with 10 kills and 12 digs while hitting .280. Haleigh Weber added an efficient seven kills on 14 attempts for a .429 hitting percentage and contributed three total blocks.
Blaufuss directed the offense with 30 assists in her Senior Night performance, adding seven digs and two block assists. Ariel Heinrich provided another strong all-around effort with 12 digs and a match-high four service aces, while Brooklyn Milleson finished with 11 digs, four assists and two aces.
The opening set proved to be the most competitive of the night, featuring 15 ties and nine lead changes. Neither team was able to create much separation as the score moved through ties at 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24. York moved in front 25-24, putting Southwestern against set point, but Johnson answered with a kill to even the score.
A block from Johnson and Hope Thornton gave the Builders a 26-25 advantage before York tied the set once again. A Panthers service error pushed Southwestern back in front, and Richardson finished the set with a kill off an assist from Blaufuss to secure the 28-26 victory.
Southwestern carried the momentum into the second set, jumping out to a 4-0 advantage behind three consecutive Johnson kills and a block from Blaufuss and Thornton. Johnson followed with back-to-back service aces to extend the lead to 8-3.
York battled back and pulled within one at 19-18, but Southwestern remained composed down the stretch. A Weber-Blaufuss block and two Heinrich service aces helped the Builders regain control before Johnson put away the final point for a 25-20 win and a two-set advantage.
The Panthers again challenged Southwestern throughout the third set, which included 14 ties and five lead changes. The teams were even at 19 before the Builders made their decisive push.
A York attack error gave Southwestern the lead before Blaufuss delivered a kill to make it 21-19. Johnson followed with consecutive kills to extend the advantage to four. After York cut the margin to 23-21, Weber put the Builders at match point with a kill before Johnson finished the sweep with her 17th kill of the night.
Southwestern finished with 39 kills while hitting .227 as a team, compared with York's 30 kills and .158 hitting percentage. The Builders also held a 49-34 advantage in digs and recorded nine service aces and five total blocks. Southwestern saved its best offensive set for the third, recording 15 kills on 30 attempts with a .333 hitting percentage.
Jassania Joseph and Ronan Merriex led York with eight kills apiece. Joseph hit .636 and recorded five service aces, while Valentina Jimenez led the Panthers defensively with 13 digs.
The victory gave Southwestern a memorable finish to Senior Night, with Blaufuss helping lead the Builders to a straight-set conference win in her final home appearance at Stewart Fieldhouse.
