TROY, Ala. — Troy volleyball completed a perfect Trojan Invitational sweep following a win over Northwestern State (25-12, 25-22, 25-22) on Saturday.
Troy (5-4) secured its third consecutive win in a team effort over Northwestern State (8-7). Isa Ruether, Kalina Calvillo, and Ashlynn Axtell all reached 10-plus kills, marking the second time this season three Trojans hit double digits in the same match. Defensively, Troy logged seven blocks — paced by Axtell with five (one solo, four assists) — and edged the Demons in service aces 5-4, behind three aces from Olivia Kwiatkowski.
First-year outside hitter Isa Ruether established a career mark with 13 kills on an efficient .400 attack percentage. Kalina Calvillo became the first Trojan to hit 100 kills on the season after adding 10 on Saturday. Meanwhile, Ashlynn Axtell wrapped up a stellar Trojan Invitational performance with 32 total kills while hitting over .400 in all three matches.
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With the victory, Troy pulled ahead 4-3 in the all-time series against Northwestern State. The Trojans posted 46 total kills in the contest, setting a new season high for a three-set match.
Set 1 — Troy 25, Northwestern State 12
Troy put together a dominant opening set on both ends. Defensively, the Trojans held the Demons to a -.129 hitting percentage with just six kills on 31 attempts with 10 attack errors. The Cardinal and White notched eight block assists in the first frame, with six players chipping in. On the offensive end, the Trojans hit .370 led by Ruether, who went a perfect 4-for-4.
Set 2 — Troy 25, Northwestern State 22
An action-packed second set featured 10 ties and five lead changes. Troy managed to capture several three-point edges throughout the frame, but a late rally by the Demons forced a Trojan timeout with Northwestern State ahead 20-18. Troy captured the tight-knit set after Kwiatkowski's third service ace.
Set 3 — Troy 25, Northwestern State 22
The Trojans capped off their third consecutive sweep with a relentless third set. Troy found themselves in an 8–13 hole midway through the frame; however, late rallies put the Trojans ahead. Three consecutive points helped complete a perfect nine sets on the weekend.
Quotable — Head coach Josh Lauer
Josh Lauer said, "Great weekend for our team, we showed a bit of grit and resilience there in the third set. Really proud of our team and the way they worked and stuck together. We were very consistent offensively throughout the weekend, and we saw great improvement in our defensive effort and execution. This was a great weekend for us to build towards the start of conference play next week."
Notables
- Isa Ruether set a new career high with 13 kills.
- Kalina Calvillo became the first Trojan on the season to reach 100 kills.
- This match marked the second time this season that three Trojans recorded 10-plus kills, with the first instance coming against Florida Atlantic.
- Troy has won three consecutive nonconference matches for the first time since the 2024 season.
- The Trojans have controlled their home floor this season, posting a 15-3 set record in home matches.
Up next
Troy volleyball returns to action next Friday, Sept. 25, as they open Sun Belt Conference play against Louisiana beginning at 6 p.m. The match will be streamed exclusively on ESPN+.
