In another tight battle with rival Northwood on Friday night, the Hillsdale College volleyball team downed the Timberwolves in five sets for the second time this season in a critical home victory.

It was one of the closest matches of the year for both teams, with all of the middle three sets decided by the minimum two points. The most lopsided set was the first, as Hillsdale rallied from a slow start with a 6-0 run that included two Grace Drake kills on the way to a 25-19 victory.

Up 1-0, the Chargers had a real chance to close out the match in three. Hillsdale led the second set 23-22 after a big block by Emory Braswell and Jenna Southland, but Northwood scored the final three points to take the set 25-23 and even the match. 

The Chargers were even more in control of the third set, leading 22-18, but the Timberwolves stole a second straight set with a furious late rally, scoring seven of the final eight points to go up 2-1 on another set score of 25-23.

Backs to the wall in set four, it was Hillsdale's turn to purloin a set, as the Chargers staved off elimination at 24-23 and scored the final three points of the set to take a 26-24 victory and force a deciding set five.

With new life, Hillsdale seized control of set five early with a 5-1 run that included kills by Molly Kennedy, Hannah Baker and Caroline Lanicek to pull out to an 8-4 edge. From there, the Chargers pulled away, finishing the match with a block by Kennedy and Drake to take a 15-9 fifth set win.

The Chargers finished with four less kills than Northwood but were more efficient at the net, hitting .229 to Northwood's .209. Hillsdale also had the edge in points off aces (5 to 1) and blocks (13 to 7), with a big night defensively at the net going a long way to helping the Chargers take the victory.

Individually, Grace Drake had the best night of her young career to help seal the win, finishing with her first-ever collegiate triple double with 16 kills, 29 assists, 14 digs, two aces and three blocks. Ellie Fles added a 14 kill, 18 dig double-double for the Chargers, Caroline Lanicek hit .400 with 11 kills, and Emory Braswell chipped in 10 kills and eight digs.

Adi Sysum added nine kills and three blocks in the middle for the Chargers, while Molly Kennedy played a huge role for Hillsdale late, finishing with six kills and a team-leading six total blocks despite playing only the final three sets.

Chloe Pierce led Hillsdale defensively with 26 digs, and Madison Peal chipped in 20 digs and two aces. Josie TeSlaa had a team-high 30 assists for the Chargers, and 13 digs as well.

Hillsdale improves to 7-10 overall and 5-3 in the G-MAC, solidifying their spot in the top six in the overall standings and greatly helping their case to earn a G-MAC Tourney berth and potentially even host a quarterfinal. The Chargers face a critical road weekend up next, as Hillsdale travels to play Ursuline on Thursday, Ashland on Friday, and Lake Erie on Saturday in three straight road contests next week.