Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 Hamline's balanced attack was too much for one foe and nearly toppled another. 

The Pipers had five players with six kills or more in a 3-0 sweep of Crown Wednesday in the Hutton Arena opener. They had five within 6-8 against Wis-River Falls but lost a spirited nightcap, 3-1 to even their 2017 record at 3-3. 

HU stormed past Crown early, winning the first set, 25-7. The second was a tighter squeeze (25-17) but HU turned on the heat for a 25-9 win in the third set to  complete the sweep. Cass Bittle had nine kills with Marisa Franco adding seven.Morgen Coleman, who also had 16 assists, led a trio of six-shooters that included Stephanie Maresh and Danica Hanson. Megan Anderson led a solid back wall with 13 digs with Cassie Doerr adding 11 and Franco delivering 10. Anderson also had four service aces. 

HU also dropped a 3-1 decision to the Falcons in Northfield last Saturday. They started strong in this one with a 25-22 win in the first set. The Falcons rallied from a set point for a 27-25 decision in the second set and then took 25-18 and 25-19 triumphs for the win. Bittle and Franco had eight kills with Maresh and Coleman contributing seven and Hanson six. Coleman added 18 assists and Megan Rubbelke matching her Crown effort with 13. Anderson came up with 18, many of them dazzling. Franco added 14.

Hamline has four more tests awaiting them this weekend in a tournament at Loras. They will face Dubuque Friday at 3:00 p.m.and the host school at 5:00 p.m. on Saturday, HU has a rematch with Carroll (Wis.) and also faces Cornell (Iowa)