The Hillsdale College volleyball team snapped a four-match losing streak and picked up its first G-MAC win of 2025 with a hard-fought win over rival Northwood on the road on Friday night.

The Chargers took 1-0 and 2-1 set leads but couldn't close out the pesky Timberwolves in set four, and trailed by as much as 11-7 in a do-or-die fifth set that decided the match. 

Backs to the wall and facing falling into an 0-3 hole in league play, the Chargers dug deep and constructed the run they needed to overturn the deficit and take the match. Sparked by a kill from junior Molly Kennedy, Hillsdale outscored Northwood 9-3 to take a 16-14 victory in the fifth set, including two kills from sophomore Jenna Southland and a kill each from senior Adi Sysum and sophomore Hannah Baker.

The Chargers started the match in strong fashion, committing zero attack errors in a 25-17 victory to take a 1-0 lead. After Northwood countered with a 25-19 set two win, the Chargers led almost wire-to-wire in set three and held off a late Timberwolves push to win 25-22 and move one set away from victory.

Trailing for much of set four, Hillsdale rallied to tie the set at 23-all and sit just two points away from closing out Northwood. But it was the Timberwolves who got the points they needed to take the set, 25-23, and set up the dramatic fifth set conclusion.

The Chargers rode a balanced attack to victory, with four players in double figures and three tied for the team lead with 12 kills apiece. Junior Emory Braswell finished with a 12 kill, 14 dig double-double along with two service aces, Sysum chipped in 12 kills and three total blocks, and Baker added 12 kills as well.

Southland finished with 10 kills and seven total blocks as well for the Chargers, while freshman Ella Byrum led Hillsdale defensively with 23 digs and senior Josie TeSlaa had a team-high 43 assists and two service aces as well.

Serving was an important edge for Hillsdale in the match, as the Chargers had 12 aces to Northwood's six. Chloe Pierce led Hillsdale with four aces and Madison Peal chipped in three, along with nine digs.

Hillsdale (3-6, 1-2 G-MAC) is off until next weekend, when the Chargers take the long trip south to battle the G-MAC's two Kentucky schools. The Chargers play Kentucky Wesleyan on Friday, and wrap up the weekend on Saturday with a match at Thomas More.