MISHAWAKA, Ind. –The Bethel Pilots (14-15, 7-9) made program history by making their first WHAC Tournament appearance and swept the Indiana Tech Warriors (11-15, 10-6) in the Schaefer Center for the first WHAC Tournament win in program history on Tuesday evening.
The win comes at an exciting time for Bethel, as the Warriors previously swept the Pilots in both regular season matches on Feb. 18 and Mar. 25.
Woumnga recorded new season highs for services aces in a single game (3), and total points scored (16), along with 12 kills and seven digs for the Pilots.
Pablo Tello led the team in digs (10), setting a new season-high after surpassing the nine digs he executed against the Warrior attackers on Mar. 25.
In the opening set, Pablo Tello scored the first kill of the game (1-0). The Bethel offense showed consistency across the board, with Christian Woumnga and Santana Roybal-Benson each posting a kill to put Bethel up 4-1.
Bethel led by five points after a successful three-point run that concluded with back-to-back aces by Christian Woumnga (15-10). Thomas Dunkley also shone behind the service line with his pair of aces to bring the score 24-17.
Bethel wrapped up the first set 25-18 to take their first set from the Warriors since 2023.
In the second set of the evening, Indiana Tech answered with a three-point lead (3-0) after Dylan Poore and Zack Karns blocked Thomas Dunkley. Bethel battled back with a five-point run that ended with two attacking errors by the Warriors (5-3).
The battle for the lead continued at 17-16, as Indiana Tech decreased their point deficit to one after Pablo Tello recorded an attacking error.
Blocking efforts by McGwire Eigenrauch, Jacob Massey, and Thomas Dunkley increased Bethel’s lead to 21-16.
Santana Roybal-Benson secured the second set 25-18 for Bethel after scoring on a kill, assisted by McGwire Eigenrauch.
The Warriors challenged the Pilots in the third set, trailing by one (21-20) after recording fewer errors than Bethel, with six as compared to the Pilots’ ten.
The Pilots brushed off the nerves and earned all four final points of the game. Thomas Dunkley and Christian Woumnga shut down the final Warrior attack with a block for a 25-20 third-set win and the first win for the program over Indiana Tech.
The Pilots look for their next upset on Thursday, Apr. 17, at 7:30 p.m. as they will travel to the Don Ridler Fieldhouse in Southfield, Mich., to face the No. 4 Lawrence Tech Blue Devils.