The Hillsdale College volleyball team had a tough fight for its final match of the 2024 Midwest Regional Crossover, but the Chargers proved to be up to the task in a sweep of Maryville in three tight sets on Saturday in Hammond, Indiana.
Hillsdale trailed late in both of the first two sets. The Chargers were down 20-19 in set one before scoring five of the next six points, four on kills or blocks by senior
Lauren Passaglia, to turn momentum in their favor and gut out a 25-23 victory. Set two was an even harder fight, as Hillsdale trailed 23-20 late in the set and fought off five match points before a trio of kills from sophomores
Greta Wise and
Marcelina Gorny got the Chargers over the top in a 30-28 victory.
The Chargers fell behind again early in set three, but an 8-1 run trailing 12-11 swung momentum in their favor for good to complete the sweep. A pair of aces by
Marilyn Popplewell finished off the run and gave Hillsdale the edge it needed to roll to a 25-18 set victory and complete the match.
The statistics show a tight match, but one where Hillsdale was able to carve out meaningful advantages where it counted. The Chargers and Saints hit virtually identical hitting percentages, but Hillsdale finished with nine more kills and four more aces, enough points to make the difference in the sweep.
Popplewell led Hillsdale's attack with 13 kills, six digs and three service aces, and the Chargers also got big contributions from Wise with 10 kills and from Gorny, who also had a season-high 10 kills. Passaglia just missed a second-straight triple double with nine kills, 12 digs and 26 assists in a strong performance for the senior setter, while
Maizie Brown chipped in eight kills as well.
Amanda Hilliker led the Chargers defensively with 19 digs,
Chloe Pierce chipped in eight, and
Josie TeSlaa added five digs and 21 assists.
Hillsdale improves to 13-3 overall and finishes the crossover with a 2-1 record, the only G-MAC team in the event with a winning record. The Chargers return to conference play next Saturday with a critical road trip to Northwood, who sits just a game back of the Chargers in the G-MAC North Division, for a 1 p.m. first serve.
Photo by Reva Ludwig
