Volleyball Tops Evansville In Bellarmine Classic Finale

Saturday, August 29

Louisville, Ky.

1:00 PM

Rutgers

2-1,0-0Big Ten

Evansville

0-2,0-0MVC

Team	1	2	3	4	Final F
Rutgers	25	18	25	25	3
Evansville	22	25	22	14	1

Rutgers volleyball celebrates following its win over Evansville

Volleyball Tops Evansville In Bellarmine Classic Finale

Aug 29 | Women's Volleyball

Box Score Box Score

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – Rutgers volleyball closed out the Bellarmine Classic on Saturday with a 3-1 win over Evansville to move to 2-1 on the year.

The Scarlet Knights won the opening frame 25-22, while the Purple Aces came back to even the match with a 25-18 second-set win. Rutgers, however, took back the lead with a 25-22 set three victory and sealed the win with a 25-14 victory.

Rutgers volleyball victory over Evansville graphic

STANDOUT STATS

Natalie Robinson set a new career best with 14 kills, swinging .520 on the afternoon, and collected four blocks. She topped her previous high of 13 kills, last set against New Hampshire back on Sept. 12, 2025.
Robinson was one of three Scarlet Knights in double-figure kills, joining Karis Willow and Malia Romes with 10 each.
Zharia Harris-Waddy added nine kills and hit .467 in her first career start and Avery Jesewitz came off the bench for six kills to swing .417 with one error on her 12 attempts.
Harris-Waddy and Willow also delivered three aces each. On the weekend, Willow totaled 11 points from the service line.
Brooke Baldwin added 24 assists and Lily Bolen recorded 23 helpers.

KEY MOMENTS

SET 1 (25-22) | Natalie Robinson led Rutgers in the opening frame with seven kills, hitting .462 with only one error on 13 swings. The opening set was tied nine times before a kill from Karis Willow put RU up for good at 20-19. Down the stretch, Robinson notched four of the Scarlet Knights' final five points of the frame.

SET 2 (18-25) | Malia Romes swung to even the set at 7-7, but the Purple Aces countered with four of the next five points to stay in front. While both squads collected 13 kills apiece, Evansville hit a match-best .400 with only one error committed, while RU recorded nine attack errors in the setback.

SET 3 (25-22) | Malia Romes, who would lead RU with five kills in the set, put her squad in front 13-12, and an Avery Jesewitz stuff and cross-court attack gave RU a 15-13 advantage at the media timeout. Kenzie Dyrstad delivered her first ace of the season, giving the Scarlet Knights their largest lead at 22-18.

SET 4 (25-14) | Rutgers never trailed and swung a match-best .545 with 13 kills and only one miscue on its 34 attacks in the final frame. The Scarlet Knights broke open the set with an 11-5 run as Avery Jesewitz tooled the block to cap the surge with RU up 17-10. Natalie Robinson put away four of her career-high 14 kills.

UP NEXT

Rutgers volleyball heads to Nashville, Tennessee for the inaugural All State Big Ten/SEC Challenge. The Scarlet Knights will take on Arkansas on Tuesday, Sept. 1 at 4 p.m. (ET) and host Vanderbilt on Wednesday, Sept. 2 at 8 p.m. (ET). Both matches will be streamed on SECN+.

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