The William Jewell Volleyball team opened the 2016 season this weekend with four games at the Capital Classic on the campus of Illinois Springfield. The Cardinals split the first two games of the tournament as they fell to Wayne State University (Mich.) before topping West Alabama in five sets. 

In the night cap Jewell and West Alabama each won a 25-19 set to split the opening two rounds before the Tigers took set three 25-14. Jewell came back in the fourth to win 25-20 with major help from sophomore Leslie Booth. The Cardinals opened up a 20-11 lead prior UWA pulling the score within 23-20 on two kills and two Cardinal errors before Booth ended the set with her fourth kill. 

Jewell spread the ball around and dominated the opening half of set five, as five different players recorded kills on the way to the Cards opening up an 8-1 advantage. Three consecutive points from Taylin McCarver helped pull the Tigers back in the game at 11-6 but UWA errors and kills from Madeline Johnson and Olivia Johnston helped close the match 15-10. 

The Cardinals were well balanced against West Alabama as Johnston led the team with ten kills, followed closely by Johnson with nine, Cunningham and Stefanie Richterkessing each had seven, while Booth finished with a career high six. Sophomore Jenna Rau posted four blocks while Johnson had three. Freshman Kennedy Ruckh collected 20 digs with Alix Weigel totaling 26 assists. 

Jewell was outhit by West Alabama .211 to .147 but posted seven blocks to the Tigers' six. 

In the season opener against Wayne State University the Cardinals came out slowly dropping the match 25-18, 25-22, 26-24, 25-15. One player who shined throughout the opening game was Richterkessing. In her first game playing on the outside (was Jewell's primary setter in 2015), the sophomore led the Cardinals with 14 kills and added 14 digs. 

Johnston added eight kills and Cunningham seven. In her first career start Ruckh lead the team with 17 digs while Grace Miller posted four blocks and Jenna Rau three. 

The Cardinals continue play in the Capital Classic on Saturday morning at 9:00 a.m. as they take on Ohio Valley followed by a matchup with Upper Iowa at 3:30 p.m. Both games can be seen on the Great Lakes Valley Conference Sports Network.