SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — Southwestern College battled through two matches Saturday at AGFinancial Arena, falling to Evangel University in straight sets before pushing Stephens College to five sets in the second match of the day.
SOUTHWESTERN VS. EVANGEL UNIVERSITY
Southwestern opened the day with a 25-12, 25-18, 28-26 loss to Evangel in Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference play. The Moundbuilders struggled to establish their offense against the Valor, finishing with 26 kills and a .040 hitting percentage. Evangel countered with 41 kills, a .194 hitting percentage and 10 total blocks.
Despite the result, Kamryn Deffebaugh provided an efficient offensive performance for Southwestern, leading the Moundbuilders with eight kills while hitting .286. Ayden Joely Petroff added seven kills, eight assists and 10 digs, while Charli Richardson finished with six kills and six digs.
Brooklyn Milleson anchored the back row with a match-high 25 digs. Natalie Blaufuss recorded 14 assists, nine digs and two service aces.
After dropping the first two sets, Southwestern put together its strongest stretch of the match in the third. Blaufuss opened the set with consecutive service aces before Ariel Heinrich added an ace during an early run that gave the Moundbuilders a 6-1 advantage.
Evangel eventually erased the deficit, but Southwestern continued to battle and forced the set beyond the standard 25-point finish. The Valor ultimately secured the set, 28-26, to complete the sweep. Southwestern finished the match with 67 digs as part of a strong defensive effort.
SOUTHWESTERN VS. STEPHENS COLLEGE
Southwestern responded in its second match with one of its strongest starts of the day, but Stephens rallied to earn a five-set victory, 10-25, 26-24, 21-25, 25-23, 16-14.
The Moundbuilders finished with 56 kills, 50 assists, 20 service aces, 80 digs and six total blocks while holding Stephens to a .116 hitting percentage.
Southwestern dominated the opening set behind aggressive serving and defensive pressure. Heinrich helped break the set open with three service aces during a long serving run as the Moundbuilders built a 13-3 advantage. Olivia DeLeon later added two aces, and Southwestern cruised to a 25-10 victory.
The Moundbuilders carried that momentum into the second set, racing to a 5-0 advantage behind three Blaufuss service aces. Southwestern maintained control for much of the frame and held a 20-15 advantage before Stephens mounted a late comeback. The Stars eventually tied the set at 24 and scored the final two points to take a 26-24 victory and even the match.
Southwestern answered by taking the third set, 25-21, before Stephens responded with a 25-23 victory in the fourth to force a deciding fifth set.
The Moundbuilders again started quickly in the fifth and eventually found themselves within one point of victory. Southwestern held a 14-13 advantage before Stephens responded with three consecutive points to escape with a 16-14 win and secure the match.
Deffebaugh led Southwestern's attack with 12 kills, while Richardson added 10. Blaufuss delivered an all-around performance with nine kills, 18 assists, nine service aces and 11 digs.
Joely Petroff recorded seven kills on a .312 hitting percentage while distributing a team-high 27 assists and adding 14 digs and three block assists. Macey Collier contributed nine kills, two service aces and six total blocks, including one solo block.
Heinrich and Milleson each collected 16 digs, with Heinrich also recording four service aces. Southwestern's 20 service aces proved to be one of its biggest strengths throughout the five-set battle.
Southwestern will return to action Wednesday, Sept. 23, against the University of Saint Mary Spires at Stewart Field House. The match will mark the Moundbuilders' first home contest of the 2026 season, with first serve scheduled for 5 p.m.
