Strong defensive play at the net helped Hillsdale dispatch host Kentucky Wesleyan as the Chargers volleyball team swept the Panthers to kick off its swing through Kentucky this weekend.

The Chargers were stingy at the net, with 12 blocks to the host team's six, and were better at the service line, making just five service errors to Kentucky Wesleyan's 13. Those advantages helped Hillsdale take all three sets on a slow night offensively for both squads.

Trailing 3-2 early in set one, Hillsdale went on an 8-2 run to take an 11-5 lead, a run that included three blocks by the Chargers. Hillsdale largely cruised from there, fighting off a short rally late in the set to take a 25-18 victory.

In set two, the Chargers showed resilience in rallying from a nightmare start, as Hillsdale fell behind 8-1 early but went on a 12-2 run to turn a seven point deficit into a four point lead. Hillsdale never trailed again in the set on the way to a 25-21 victory and a 2-0 lead.

Set three was tight the entire way, with both teams trading the lead multiple times and neither squad taking a lead larger than three points. Kentucky Wesleyan actually had a 23-22 advantage late, looking to extend the match, but the Chargers shut down the Panthers with three straight points, including back-to-back kills from senior Adi Sysum, to take the set 25-23 and the match 3-0.

Sysum had an excellent all-around match, leading the Chargers in kills with nine and hitting .471 while also chipping in six block assists. Junior Emory Braswell added five kills, six block assists and a team-high 10 digs for Hillsdale, and sophomore Caroline Lanicek chipped in four kills and three block assists as well.

Grace Drake finished with 15 assists, two block assists and five digs for the Chargers, and Josie TeSlaa added nine assists, two aces and seven digs.

The win gets Hillsdale back to .500 in the G-MAC at 2-2 in conference play and 4-6 overall. The Chargers play again on Saturday at noon in Crestview Hills, Kentucky against a red-hot Thomas More squad that's still undefeated in G-MAC play after dispatching Northwood in five sets last night. With the Saints looking like a contender to make the G-MAC Tourney, it's an important match for Hillsdale as the Chargers look to climb the G-MAC standings.

Photo by Trey Curry, Kentucky Wesleyan Athletics