LUKE ULLESTAD ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
The Knights’ volleyball team traveled to Chicago to compete in the University of Chicago Invitational on Friday and Saturday. Wartburg finished the tournament with a 1-3 record.
Wartburg faced the University of Chicago on Friday in their opening match of the tournament. The Knights fell 3-0.
“We started slow and sluggish,” head coach Jennifer Walker said.
The Clarkson University Golden Knights (16-2) was the Knights’ second opponent on Friday.
Wartburg managed to win one of the four sets, 25-21, but that was not enough as Clarkson put together three sets to win the match, 3-1.
The Knights took on the Scarlet Hawks of Illinois Tech on Saturday.
Wartburg came up short losing the match, 3-1.
“This competition is similar to what we’ve had all season. We just didn’t show up. It’s not that we don’t have the skills, but sometimes we just don’t go out and go for the win,” Walker said.
However, Wartburg did come up victorious during their last match against North Central 3-2.
“We improved on Saturday. We played much better, and we finished very well against North Central picking up the win,” Walker said.
Last Wednesday, Oct. 6, the Knights squared off with Buena Vista.
Wartburg was in complete control all night as they came away with the 3-0 win.
“We were excited to be at home again. We had not played in the conference for two weeks. It was a nice match to come back and pick up a win to get back in that conference mode,” Walker said.
The victory moved the Knights to 4-0 in conference play.
The win also gave Walker her 250th career win with the Knights.
Britlyn Sieck and Sophie Swift led the Knights offensively with 11 and eight kills respectively.
Swift recorded three solo blocks, along with three block assists.
Sieck also posted three block assists.
Jane Ohde added one solo and one block assist. Britney Hermsen also tallied one block assist.
Ohde slammed home three service aces, along with one from Kahri Heinemann.
Wartburg looks to continue their success in the IIAC as they face Coe for “Orange Crush-It Night” at home on Wednesday at 7 p.m.
“We want everyone to show up in orange and be loud and excited for Knights volleyball,” Walker said.
Photo: The Knights' Britlyn Sieck goes up for one of her 11 kills against Buena Vista. Photo by Amanda Gahler