The No. 14 nationally ranked Park University women's volleyball program hosted the Park Classic on Friday and Saturday, going undefeated in their four matches against University of Saint Mary, (RV) Missouri Baptist University, (RV) Ottawa University, and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University (Ariz.).

The Pirates got back to their Top 25 form and had 14.15 kills per set, 26 service aces, 6.3 blocks per match, and hit .225.

Jullia Alvarez impressed this week, as the Heart Setter of the Week, and earned four double-doubles and averaged 10.85 assists per set.

Saint Mary | 25-20, 25-22, 25-18 | BOX SCORE

The Pirates trailed briefly out of the gate in the match by a score of 9-5 to the Spires, but the Pirates had the answer defensively with two blocks to make it 10-9. Amra Kovac was involved with both blocks, while her teammates Avery Caskey and Izabella Ceratti teamed up with her for one block assist each. The Pirates went on a 4-1 scoring run, featuring a kill and service ace by Grecia Ung, to overtake the Spires 14-13. Park stayed in control for the 25-20 win.

The next two sets stayed in Park's court with the Pirates handling their business well for 25-22 and 25-18 wins. Both sides had their highest hitting percentages in the first set, .289 for Saint Mary and .237 for Park, but the Spires were unable to be higher than .100 in their attack percentage the rest of the day.

Ung had 12 kills and eight digs, while Ceratti and Caskey were up there too with nine and eight kills, respectively.

Irene Verdino led with 15 digs, while Alvarez was working on 29 assists and 13 digs. Angelina Rodriguez and Aly Anderson also matched Ung's dig numbers with eight digs for the match.
 
(RV) Missouri Baptist | 25-19, 25-17, 24-26, 25-15 | BOX SCORE

For any volleyball fan, the Missouri Baptist and Park match was a great one to be a part of. Park had a .452 hitting percentage in set one, their highest hitting percentage in a set for the tournament, on 17 kills, three errors, and 31 total attacks. In the end, the Pirates held Missouri Baptist to a .152 hitting percentage compared to a .279 for the Pirates. The moved Missouri Baptist down to 2-9 on the season.

It was looking like a sure sweep for Park in the opening two sets, 25-19 and 25-17, but the Spartans showed some life with a 26-24 set three win. A 3-0 run gave the Spartans a 16-13 lead in the set, but the Pirates rallied with a three count of their own, beginning with a kill from Caskey. The score was tied four times after this point, but the Pirates could not overtake the Spartans late in set three.

A 5-0 run in set four was the highlight of an impressive set four win, extending the lead to 17-8. The Pirates had no problems securing the 25-15 set four win with Ung leading the charge with 20 kills and nine digs.

Ceratti and Caskey were in double-figures too with 12 and 10 kills apiece.

Verdino and Anderson were up their in digs with 15 and 14, while Alvarez secured another double-double on 41 assists and 11 digs.

(RV) Ottawa | 25-20, 25-21, 25-21 | BOX SCORE

The Braves were .500 entering the match and while they moved down to 3-4, the Pirates surged to a 6-2 record.

Ottawa only had the one match on the weekend at the Park Classic and they had a slow start to the match with only six kills and seven errors in set one for a -.022 hitting percentage. Kovac had five blocks in the match to repel at the net.

After a 25-20 win for Park in set one, the Pirates had a closer set in game two. At the 13-13 mark, it became a relentless back-and-forth seven ties on the way to a score of 19-19. Ung gave Park its final lead change of the match with a kill and added a service ace as well to help Park get to a 25-21 win. Ung, besides leading Park with 55 kills and 4.23 kills per set on the weekend, also led Park with 12 service aces. Four of those aces came against the Braves, while Ung had five service aces fired against the Spires.

Caskey and Ceratti were consistent yet again with double-digit kills to lead the Pirates offensively, 11 for Caskey and 10 for Ceratti.

Verdino was committed defensively with 24 digs on the match, a feat she has reached for the fifth time in her career and is the second most digs she has earned in a match.
Alvarez kept the offense in a good position with 35 assists and 13 digs as well.

Embry-Riddle | 25-15, 25-19, 25-22 | BOX SCORE

The final match of the weekend was a very balanced match for Park and they showed a lot growth from each match this weekend, finishing the last three sets with at least 15 kills. Embry-Riddle had looked strong at the Park Classic and were undefeated on the weekend, but ultimately moved their record to 6-6 following their loss to Park. The Pirates make it six in a row with a 7-2 overall record.

The 5-0 start for Park in set one was the picture perfect beginning to the match and the Pirates caged the Eagles at 25-15 in set one.

In fact, all three sets were quick leads for the Pirates, 5-1 and 6-2 in the remaining games. Embry-Riddle were able to rally to tie the second set at 15-15 and things stayed close as Park led 21-19 down the stretch. Ung and Churin Florencia put a stop to the would be comeback though with two kills from Ung and a kill and a block from Florencia to end the set.

Credit the Eagles for not giving up in set three, as a huge 20-11 set lead for Park dwindled to 23-22 late in set three. Caskey gave the Pirates some breathing room with a kill to get to match point. Then the Pirates could celebrate into the night, as the Eagles ended the match with an attack error at 25-22.

Park hit .262 for the match and the duo of Ung and Ceratti was on, as they matched each other with 14 kills.

Trinity Iverson showed some of her skill from the middle with five kills in the match.

Verdino led in digs with 15, while Alvarez showed real effort defensively with 14 digs, and of course her fourth double-double with 36 assists.

Getting a taste of a double-double was Ung, as she reached 10 digs for the match.

The Pirates are on the road in Davenport, Iowa for the Saint Ambrose Invitational on Friday and Saturday. Park plays No. 8 Bellevue, No. 17 Viterbo, and Judson. WATCH HERE