MOUNT VERNON, Ohio— The Bethel Pilots (10-9, 5-4) defeated the Mount Vernon Nazarene Cougars (3-13, 1-8) on the road on Friday evening 3-0.
Thomas Dunkley led the team in both kills with fifteen and digs with nine.
Santana Roybal-Benson led the blocks with seven.
McGwire Eigenrauch racked up 20 assists and one ace.
In the first set, Santana Roybal-Benson kicked off Bethel’s offense with a kill 1-1.
Ling Pak Him scored back-to-back kills as Bethel led 7-5.
Santana Roybal-Benson and Thomas Dunkley double-blocked a Cougar attack to initiate a four-point run for Bethel after the Pilots called their first timeout. Bethel led 14-13 after the run.
Thomas Dunkley tied the score 22-22 following Bethel’s second timeout, posting two kills in a row.
Ling Pak Him secured the final point of the set, assisted by Roybal-Benson.
The Pilots concluded the first set 26-24.
In the second set, Santana Roybal-Benson posted the first earned kill for the Bethel offense.
The Pilots went on an early four-point run, ending with a kill by Christian Woumnga, to put Bethel up 8-4.
Woumnga also initiated a three-point run in the middle of the set, scoring off an assist by Maik Herbst. The run put Bethel up 14-8.
Thomas Dunkley put the second set in the books at 25-21 for the Pilots with a kill.
In the final set, Dunkley continued to shine with two consecutive kills, both assisted by McGwire Eigenrauch (2-0).
The Pilots dominated mid-set with a solid six-point run, kicked off by the Cougars who committed a service error.
Thomas Dunkley concluded the run 11-7, following a kill.
An attacking error by the Cougars sent Mount Vernon into their final timeout of the game.
Following the break, both teams scored an equal number of points (nine), but the Pilots’ lead ensured their victory.
A kill by Santana Roybal-Benson (25-18) sent Bethel home victorious.
The Pilots will take a break from WHAC play, and compete next against Roosevelt University in the Goodman Center on Tuesday, Mar. 18 at 7 PM.