Storm drop day two matches in Waverly, Williams named to All-Tournament Team

WAVERLY, Iowa – The Simpson women fell to Wis.-Superior and St. Olaf this weekend at the Wartburg Tournament. The Storm lost while fighting hard against both of these teams, with both games going to a fifth set to determine a winner.

Despite a couple of hard-fought losses, many players on the team recorded double-doubles with their performances this weekend. Morgan DenBeste had a double-double in all three matches, Emily Williams recorded two double-doubles, and Audrey Behrens had one. 

ALL-TOURNAMENT HONORS:
Emily Williams was named to the Wartburg All-Tournament Team after a stellar weekend performance. Williams recorded 48 kills on the weekend (3.20 kills/set) as well as 40 digs and five blocks. She also recorded two double-doubles this weekend. Her first was against Saint Benedict on Friday night, and her second was against Wis.-Superior on Saturday morning.

This is Williams' second time receiving all-tournament honors this season.

GAME ONE BREAKDOWN:

• Set one started good for the Storm as they opened with a 4-0 run and kills by Emily Williams and Emmy Seiler, as well as an ace by Jada Schmidt. The team went on another early run with a kill by Courtney Paxton to bring the score to 10-4. Simpson held their lead throughout the rest of the set, and Emily Williams' kill sealed the set 25-20 in favor of the Storm.
• A kill by Peyton Mitchell opened set two, assisted by Morgan DenBeste. The beginning of the second set included a lot of back and forth action, with the teams tying multiple times. Wis.-Superior went on a late 5-0 run and took the set 25-22.
• Simpson started up 2-0 in set three with a kill by Peyton Mitchell. Simpson followed up their strong opening with a 6-0 run, marked by kills from Emmy Seiler, Peyton Mitchell, and Emily Williams. The teams both fought back and forth for much of the set, but a late 4-0 run by Wis.-Superior gave them the set 25-22.
• Back-to-back Emmy Seiler kills opened up set two, both assisted by Morgan DenBeste. The Storm found themselves with an early 11-8 lead. Wis.-Superior brought the score back to a 15-15 tie, but the Storm responded with a 4-0 run, marked by two back-to-back service aces from Audrey Behrens. Another late 4-0 run brought Simpson the fourth set victory 25-23 with a kill by Courtney Paxton.
• Jada Schmidt scored the first point of the fifth set with a kill. The Storm followed up quickly with a 4-0 run early in the decisive set. A late run by Wis.-Superior put the Storm down 11-9, but Jada Schmidt's three kills in-a-row gave Simpson a 12-11 lead. A short run by Wis.-Superior finalized the match with the Storm falling 15-13.

GAME TWO BREAKDOWN:

• Set one opened with two aces by Morgan DenBeste to set the tone. The Storm went on a 5-0 run early in the set with kills by Jada Schmidt and Emily Williams to bring the score to 13-7 in favor of Simpson. The team held on to their lead until the end and defeated St. Olaf in set one 25-21.
• An early kill in set two by Emily Williams started the Storm on top with a 2-0 score. St. Olaf went on an early 4-0 run to put the Storm down, but they answered with their own 3-0 run with two kills from Jada Schmidt to return the score to a 9-9 tie. A late 6-0 run put St. Olaf on top again, and the Oles won the set 25-14.
• Peyton Mitchell scored the Storm's first point in set three with a kill. Simpson fell to a run from St. Olaf, but responded with their own run marked by two Schmidt kills. St. Olaf went on a 7-0 run mid-set to bring their lead to 16-8 over the Storm. Simpson fell in set three 25-13.
• The Storm opened set four with a kill by Emmy Seiler followed by a kill from Peyton Mitchell. The team used their early momentum to push a 5-0 scoring run in the fourth set with kills by Courtney Paxton and Jada Schmidt, as well as an ace from Ella Meyer. The Storm held their lead and won the fourth set 25-16.
• In the tiebreaking fifth set, Jada Schmidt scored the first point for the Storm. Simpson was on the losing side of a 9-4 score early in the match, but they fought to close the gap. A kill by Courtney Paxton put the team back within three points of St. Olaf, however Simpson fell in set five 15-8.

WEEKEND STANDOUTS

• Emily Williams: 48 kills, 40 digs, 5 blocks
• Emmy Seiler: 39 kills, 13 digs, 6 blocks, 3 aces
• Jada Schmidt: 38 kills, 17 digs, 6 blocks, 2 aces
• Peyton Mitchell: 20 kills, 11 digs, 13 blocks, 2 aces
• Morgan DenBeste: 72 assists, 40 digs, 5 aces
• Audrey Behrens: 62 assists, 36 digs, 3 aces
• Ella Meyer: 65 digs, 18 assists, 2 aces

DOUBLE-DOUBLES FROM THE WEEKEND

• Morgan DenBeste (vs Saint Benedict): 22 assists, 16 digs
• Morgan DenBeste (vs Wis.-Superior): 28 assists, 15 digs
• Morgan DenBeste (vs St. Olaf): 22 assists, 11 digs
• Emily Williams (vs Saint Benedict): 17 kills, 20 digs
• Emily Williams (vs Wis.-Superior): 13 kills, 13 digs
• Audrey Behrens (vs Wis.-Superior): 25 assists, 11 digs

UP NEXT
The Simpson Storm will head to Nebraska on Oct. 2 at 6 p.m. to take on Nebraska Wesleyan in their first American Rivers Conference match of the year.