Volleyball: Olivet ends season with three-set loss to No. 1 Calvin

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College volleyball team closed out the 2014 season with a three-set loss to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) co-leader this evening at The Cutler Event Center. The Knights, ranked No. 1 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, won by scores of 25-17, 25-17 and 25-15.

The Comets had an 8-3 lead in the first set. Calvin scored five straight points to tie the score at 8-8. After another tie at 9-9, Olivet went on a 3-0 run for a 12-9 advantage. The Knight took the lead for good by scoring five straight points to go up 14-12. The Comets got as close as one point on three occasions, 14-13, 15-14 and 16-15, but each time Calvin scored the next point to pull away.

The Knights scored the first seven points of the second set. Olivet battled back and trailed by only one point twice, with the last time being 15-14. Calvin put the 10 of the final 13 points on the scoreboard to win the set.

The Comets led early in the third set 3-2 before the Knights scored five straight points to gain a 7-3 lead. Olivet answered with a 5-1 run to tie the set at 8-8. Calvin responded with six consecutive points to pull away 14-8. The closest the Comets would get for the rest of the set would be four points, 16-12.

Playing in their final home matches, Olivet was led by the trio of Emma Brann, Taylor Pringle and Stefanie Lang. Lang recorded a team-high 11 kills, while Brann had seven kills. Pringle dished out a team-leading 13 set assists. In the back row, sophomore Mona Hinamanu and freshman Courtney Cronkright each had 10 digs. Olivet served seven aces, two apiece for Lang and Pringle, and three for sophomore Danielle Bearden.

NOTES: Lang finished the 2014 season with a single-season school record 390 kills. She ranks second all-time at Olivet with 820 career kills. Pringle finished her career with 1,947 set assists and 87 service aces. Brann ended her career in a Comet uniform with 749 kills.