The Hillsdale College volleyball team went toe-to-toe with one of the toughest foes they'll face all season, but couldn't quite close the deal in the fourth set in a loss to Gannon at home on Friday.
With a chance to force a deciding fifth set, the Chargers took an early 12-9 lead, thanks in part to a kill from senior
Molly Kennedy and back to back blocks by Kennedy and fellow senior
Marcelina Gorny. The set stayed tight deep and went into extra points with neither team leading by more than three. Kills by
Caroline Lanicek and
Taylor Cook got Hillsdale a 24-23 lead and a chance to take the set, but Gannon fought back with two points to get a match point of their own.
The Chargers fought off two match points by Gannon, but couldn't convert on four set points of their own to extend the match, and in the end Gannon pushed ahead to take the marathon set 31-29 and clinch the victory.
The two teams started the match by splitting a pair of lopsided set wins. Gannon rolled to a 25-15 victory in set one, hitting .275 with 13 kills, while Hillsdale dominated set two from start to finish, hitting .429 with 13 kills and one attack error in a 25-14 win to even up the match.
With momentum, Hillsdale jumped out to a 6-1 lead in set three, but the Chargers' miscues caught up with them, as 10 Hillsdale attack errors in the set allowed Gannon to overtake the Chargers for a 25-19 victory that swung the match in their favor.
Hillsdale finished with 54 kills to Gannon's 50, but 28 attack errors to the Golden Knights' 28. Gannon also used big edges in aces (8 to Hillsdale's 1) and blocks (13 to Hillsdale's 6) to carve out a decisive edge.
Taylor Cook led Hillsdale for the second straight match with 12 kills, and
Ellie Fles added an 11 kill, 16 dig double-double.
Ella Vandermark added 10 kills and three total blocks in the middle,
Caroline Lanicek chipped in 10 kills and
Molly Kennedy added eight kills and three blocks.
Chloe Pierce led the Chargers defense with 20 digs,
Madison Peal chipped in 14, and setter
Grace Drake set a new career-best with 49 assists while adding eight digs as well.
Hillsdale (5-6, 1-2 G-MAC) will have to shake off the loss quickly with a critical match against Ashland on tap tomorrow at noon in Dawn Tibbetts Potter Arena. The Eagles are 9-1, undefeated in the G-MAC and survived a five-set thriller at Northwood on Friday night. The Chargers can get back in the G-MAC race with a win over the Eagles in what should be an important contest for both teams.
