St. Ambrose wins three times at HOA Challenge
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Graceland (0-5) | 19 | 13 | 22 | 0 |
|
St. Ambrose (IA) (3-0) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
St. Ambrose (IA) (4-0) | 27 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
|
UHSP (0-1) | 25 | 22 | 21 | 0 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Culver-Stockton (MO) (0-5, 0-0) | 16 | 20 | 20 | 0 |
|
St. Ambrose (IA) (5-0, 0-0) | 25 | 25 | 25 | 3 |
| Final | 1 | 2 | 3 | T | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
St. Ambrose (IA) (5-1, 0-0) | 21 | 23 | 26 | 0 |
|
#6 Missouri Baptist (5-1, 0-0) | 25 | 25 | 28 | 3 |
St. Ambrose continued its best start to a season in more than a decade by winning three of four matches at the Heart of America Challenge in St. Louis, Mo., Friday and Saturday.
The Bees defeated Graceland, UHSP and Culver-Stockton each in three sets before seeing their undefeated start to the year come to a close with a 3-0 loss to No. 6 Missouri Baptist.
SAU's 5-1 record is the program's best start since the 2014 team won its first 10 matches to begin the year.
Seven different Bees had multiple kills in the 25-19, 25-13, 25-22 win over Graceland to begin play Friday.
Kam Dixon led the way with five kills. Michael Bos, Ian Cordes and Pedro Zang put down four apiece. Kainalu Ka'ahanui and Charlie Flynn each had three and Zander Larson ended with two. Anthony Anderson (10) and Felipe Prieto (seven) combined for 17 assists. Ka'ahanui and Matt Cannon came up with four digs each.
Dixon recorded 10 kills in the 27-25, 25-22, 25-21 victory over USHP, one of the co-hosts of the annual event.
Zang finished with seven kills, Jon Guch had six, and Flynn and Bos finished with four each. Anderson (15) and Prieto (13) reached double figures in assists. The two, along with Dixon, all had multiple aces. Ethan Karban had a team-best eight digs. Flynn was credited with six blocks.
Dixon put down 14 kills, Larson had six, and Guch and Zang added five apiece in the Bees' 25-16, 25-20, 25-20 win over Culver-Stockton Saturday.
Cordes and Flynn each registered four kills and Bos added three as St. Ambrose improved to 5-0 on the year. Prieto led the way with 24 assists while Anderson finished with 11. Karban had a team-leading 11 digs while Anderson picking up 10.
SAU's unbeaten start to the season came to an end in a 25-21, 25-23, 28-26 loss to a nationally-ranked Missouri Baptist team.
Bos (12) and Dixon (10) posted double-figure kills. Flynn added five and Zang finished with four. Prieto picked up 18 assists and Anderson added 17. Karban led the Bees with seven digs.
St. Ambrose will compete in the Mighty Oak Invite in Indiana next Friday and Saturday.