POINT LOOKOUT, Mo. — No. 1–seeded CIU women's volleyball opened its run at the 2025 NCCAA Division I Women's Volleyball Championship with a perfect first day of pool play on Wednesday, sweeping No. 8 Sterling College before securing a four-set win over No. 5 Bethel University at College of the Ozarks.

CIU (27-7) set the tone early with a 3–0 win over Sterling (28-26, 25-15, 25-11). The Rams hit .300 as a team and finished with 16 total block assists, consistently disrupting Sterling's attack. Mary Norwood delivered 11 kills on a .393 hitting percentage, while Eevy Bellar added eight kills and three blocks. Lydia Gustafson finished with six kills and six block assists, and Katelynn Mundy contributed 10 kills. Setter Maria Ferreira handed out 21 assists and served two aces, while libero Kelcey Mangum posted 15 digs.

In the evening match, CIU earned a 3–1 victory over Bethel (25-18, 25-18, 24-26, 25-14), again tallying 16 total block assists as a team. Norwood led the way with 12 kills and three blocks, and Gustafson was highly efficient with eight kills on .667 hitting to go with six block assists. Bellar contributed six kills, three blocks, and two aces, while Mundy added seven kills. Setters Macy Brooks and Maria Ferreira totaled 15 and 17 assists, respectively, and Mangum anchored the defense with 30 digs.

With a 2–0 start in pool play, CIU will look to secure a spot in the national semifinals when the Rams face Mid-America Christian University on Thursday, Dec. 4, at 1:30 p.m. CT