SATURDAY RECAP

Box score: Hillsdale 3, Pittsburgh-Johnstown 1

Box score: Hillsdale 3, Cedarville 1

For the first time in six years, the Hillsdale College volleyball team went through a complete weekend tournament without a loss.

Overcoming struggles in serve receive, and making up for it with some terrific offensive performances, the Chargers prevailed in every match by identical 3-1 scores, the last coming against Cedarville University Saturday afternoon in Findlay, Ohio.

Hillsdale is now 6-1 on the season, and the team opens conference play next weekend at Lake Erie and Ashland.

The Chargers topped the Yellow Jackets 25-21, 25-15, 23-25 and 25-21.

Senior Emily Wolfert had a career-high 9 total blocks while racking up 13 kills with a .435 hitting percentage. She led an offense that produced 50 kills in the four-set match.

Freshman Kara Vyletel exceeded her career-high in kills once again with a team-high 15 to lead Hillsdale. Erin Holsinger came one away from her career-high in kills with 14.

Wolfert and Vyletel were each named to the All-Tournament Team.

Directing the productive offense was senior setter Marissa Owen, who had 25 assists. She was complemented by freshman Taylor Bennett's 19 assists. Bennett tied her career-high in assists, set earlier in the day Saturday.

In Saturday's first match, the Chargers remained consistently successful.

For the third time in three matches at Findlay's Towne Place Suites Classic, Hillsdale defeated its opponent by a score of 3-1. Pittsburgh-Johnstown was the latest victim, as the Chargers improved to 3-0 on the weekend with the four-set win.

The Chargers took the first two sets by scores of 25-19 and 27-25 before falling in set three, 25-22. The team's blocking and passing picked up in the decisive fourth set, a 25-15 Hillsdale victory.

Hillsdale held a 15-4 edge in total team blocks in the match, and hit .246 compared to .207 for Pittsburgh-Johnstown.

Senior Haylee Booms enjoyed her best match of the season, leading the offense with 12 kills and a .474 hitting percentage. Wolfert matched Booms' lofty hitting percentage, generating 10 kills against just 1 error. Holsinger led the team's powerful blocking game with a season-high 10 total blocks. Wolfert added 5 and Booms had 4. Freshman Paige VanderWall added 10 kills to the offensive attack.

Owen handed out 24 assists, with Bennett adding a season-high 19 to go along with 8 digs. Senior Jenalle Beaman continued her steady play in the back with a team-best 18 digs.

FRIDAY RECAP

Box score: Hillsdale 3, Mercyhurst 1

Box score: Hillsdale 3, Ursuline 1

The second weekend of the 2015 season got off to a strong start for the Charger volleyball team Friday.

After shaking off some early morning cobwebs, Hillsdale won each of the last three sets in a 3-1 win over Mercyhurst College at Findlay's Towne Place Suites Classic Tournament. The Lakers won the first set 25-22, but the Chargers came back to post set wins of 25-17, 25-23 and 25-17.

Freshman Paige VanderWall recorded a career-high 15 kills to lead the Charger attack. That represents the most kills by a Charger freshman in a regular season match since Emily Wolfert had 17 back on October 12, 2012. More impressively, she had a .414 hitting percentage in the match, coupling efficiency with productivity in a big way.

Wolfert was a force in the match over the final three sets, when she registered 13 of her 14 kills. She had a .522 hitting percentage, along with 6 digs and 2 total blocks.

Freshman Kara Vyletel continued her great start to her career with 12 kills and 8 digs.

Senior Marissa Owen added a season-high 30 assists with 14 digs, and senior Jenalle Beaman hit a new season-high with 19 digs for Hillsdale. Junior middle hitter Erin Holsinger had a big match at the net with 8 total blocks.

Later Friday, the Chargers put away future G-MAC foe Ursuline College 3-1.

Hillsdale cruised to a 25-9 win in set one, only to see its serving game on both sides of the net desert it in the second set, won by the Arrows 25-15. The Chargers responded by winning the final two sets by scores of 25-10 and 25-13.

VanderWall followed up her superlative effort in Friday's first match with a superb match against the Arrows. She led Hillsdale with 11 kills, had just one error and had a .476 hitting percentage for the match.

Senior Haylee Booms turned in her best offensive match of the young season with 9 kills and a .368 hitting percentage. Wolfert continued her great play this weekend with 9 kills, 5 total blocks, 3 service aces and a .412 hitting percentage, while Vyletel added 7 kills.

Owen picked up 23 assists while freshman setter Taylor Bennett dished out 14 assists and put down 3 service aces. Beaman led the team on defense with 16 digs, and junior Kyra Rodi had an errorless match, along with 6 kills and 5 assists.

The Chargers complete play in this weekend's tournament Saturday with matches against Pittsburgh-Johnstown and Cedarville.