It's still early in the season, but the Hillsdale College volleyball team took a big step toward its conference goals on Wednesday night with a four-set win on the road over rival Findlay.

In a matchup between the 25th-ranked Chargers and a team sitting just outside the top 25 in the AVCA poll in the Oilers, Hillsdale proved itself the better team on Wednesday, outscoring Findlay 101-84 across four sets in a 25-17, 25-22, 26-28, 25-17 victory. 

Hillsdale's superior efficiency carried the night, as Hillsdale finished with just two more kills than Findlay, 55-53, but outhit the Oilers .289 to .190 thanks to 25 Findlay attack errors. Hillsdale played a big role in making Findlay inefficient at the net, scoring 12 points off blocks to the Oilers' five. Hillsdale also held a decisive edge at the service line, finishing with nine aces to Findlay's six and eight service errors to Findlay's 11.

Big runs helped fuel Hillsdale throughout the match. The Chargers used a 6-0 run trailing 9-8 to break open the first set, with senior outside hitter Marilyn Popplewell pounding down three kills during that stretch to help galvanize Hillsdale. After trailing for most of the second set, Hillsdale pieced together another 8-2 run late to turn an 18-16 deficit into an unassailable 24-20 lead to go up 2-0 in the match, with sophomore Greta Wise contributing three kills and junior Adi Sysum assisting on two blocks during that stretch.

After Findlay held off a late Hillsdale run to stave off defeat in an extended third set, the Chargers put the match away with a dominant 9-2 start to set four. A fourth different player stepped up for the Chargers to fuel this run, with senior Maizie Brown scoring four points off three kills and a block during that stretch.

Popplewell led the Chargers offensively on the night with a performance that showed why she has an All-American honor to her name. The senior led all players with 19 kills on a scorching .375 hitting percentage, and finished with 11 digs for a double-double as well as three aces and four block assists. While Popplewell was stellar, she had plenty of help in a strong team hitting effort. Wise chipped in nine kills and three block assists for Hillsdale, Brown added eight kills and three block assists, and freshman Catoline Lanicek added six kills and three block assists as well.

Lauren Passaglia, one of the most versatile players in the Midwest, had a big night as well, just missing a triple-double with seven kills, 35 assists and nine digs, while Sysum was a force at the net defensively for the Chargers, recording nine total blocks to go with six kills on a .432 hitting percentage.

Amanda Hilliker led all players defensively with a match-high 19 digs and four aces, and Chloe Pierce chipped in nine digs and an ace as well.

Hillsdale improves to 11-1 overall and 6-0 with a victory, remaining the only unbeaten team in the G-MAC while handing title contender Findlay its second loss. The Chargers maintain their one game lead over Northwood, who Hillsdale already beat earlier, in the G-MAC North Division, while going up two games on the Oilers. The Chargers next travel to Tiffin on Saturday for a noon match in the final contest before the Midwest Regional Crossover on Oct. 18-19.

Photo by Meredith Wipper