Volleyball team reaches double digit win plateau for first time in 25 years

For the second straight day, the volleyball team had a 1-1 record at the Davenport Panther University. The Comets fell to Siena Heights University in four sets and bounced back to beat University of Mich.-Dearborn in five sets.

Box Score Box Score

Team Stats

October 16, 2010

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. -- For the second straight day, the Olivet College volleyball team had a 1-1 record at the Davenport University Panther University. The Comets fell to Siena Heights University in four sets and bounced back to beat University of Mich.-Dearborn in five sets. With the win, Olivet leveled its overall record to 10-10, reaching double figures in wins for just the fourth time in school history and first time since 1985. For her efforts, senior Ellen Schulz (Freeland) was named to the all-tournament team.

Olivet had leads late in the first two sets against Siena Heights. The Saints then rallied in each to win them, 26-24 and 25-21. The Comets came back to win the third set, 25-21. In the fourth set, the Comets had a pair of five-point leads before Siena Heights came from behind to win it, 25-23.

Sophomore Sam Gibson (Battle Creek/Harper Creek) paced Olivet's front row with 18 kills. Sophomore Melanie Merchant (St. Joseph) also recorded double digit kills with 13. She had just four attack errors on 20 attempts for a team-leading .450 hitting percentage. Senior Jenessa Hicks (Union City) collected 44 assists. Four players had double figure digs, led by senior Morgan Iloncaie (Port Huron/Imlay City) and junior Mallory Schug (Climax/Galesburg Augusta) with 17 and 13, respectively.

Against UM-Dearborn, the Comets won the first set 25-19. In the second set, the Wolves led 24-23 before Olivet scored three straight points to take the set 26-24. UM-Dearborn came back to win the next two sets 25-21 and 25-23 to force a deciding set for the second straight day. The Comets battled back and won the fifth set, 18-16.

Three Olivet players reached double figures in kills. Merchant pounded down a team-leading 18, while junior Jordy Bergeron (Muskegon/Mona Shores) and Gibson were next with 16 and 11 respectively. Hicks dished out 50 assists. Iloncaie posted a team-high 18 digs.

The Comets will resume Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association action next week with two away matches. On Tuesday, Olivet makes the short trip to play Albion at 6:30 p.m., and on Saturday, it travels to play Calvin at 1 p.m.