The No. 8 nationally ranked Park University women's volleyball program were comfortable in front of a full crowed at Breckon Sports Center on Friday of Homecoming Weekend at Park. The Pirates made the most of their time in the spotlight with a sweep victory over Baker, 25-10, 25-9, 25-21.

The Pirate faithful came out in droves for Homecoming weekend. Park student-athletes were each sporting a different theme chosen by their sport to represent at the volleyball match and the effect it had on the game atmosphere was apparent. 

Park is now 13-2 on the season and 7-0 in Heart play, while the Wildcats are 6-10 and 1-5 of the same. This match was reminiscent of the 2021 NAIA National Championship Runner-Up team that defeated Baker on a homecoming Friday 25-12, 25-5, 25-15.

The Pirates had at least 15 kills in each set on their way to victory and hit .418 as a team.

A 3-1 lead budded to an 8-2 advantage after a five-point scoring spree. Debora Bernardi had two kills in that stretch to set the tone for the rest of the match. Six different Pirates had kills in the first set though, signaling there was a lot of balance in the offensive attack tonight. Additional scoring runs of six and four were more than enough to create the separation for a 25-10 victory for Park in set one.
It was an even quicker pace for Park in set two as a one-point lead at 4-3 was instantly blown up to a 17-4 lead after scoring 13 of the next 14 points. Malaina Hensley was consistent in the match with four kills in each of the first two sets. The damage had been done and the Pirates handily won set two, 25-9.

The final set showcased several Pirates previously not seen in the main rotation. Aly Anderson for one, is usually a service specialist, but she had quite a few opportunities from the pin tonight with eight kills, her career-high. Set three was by far the closest set and even though Park captured a five-point lead at 19-14, the Wildcats forced a late Park timeout and eventually tied the Pirates at 20-20. Two straight blocks by the Pirates were huge and regained the control of the set. Kills by Hensley, Bernardi, and Dorianna Braxton closed the game out, no better time for Braxton to earn her first career kill than on match point, 25-21.

Also earning her first kill tonight was Maria Pim, a sophomore from Vitoria, Brazil.

Hensley was the only Pirate in double-figure kill numbers, but a whole cast of Pirates were supporting including four other Pirates with at least six kills.

Arianna Marino earned the double-double with 36 assists and 10 digs, while Irene Verdino collected a team-leading 15 digs.

Park has earned a Saturday off considering their nine-match winning streak they have produced exclusively inside Breckon Sports Center in September. Park will pick back up with Benedictine College on Tuesday, Oct. 3 at 7pm. WATCH HERE

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