Volleyball team beats Eureka and Principia to finish 4-0 at IIT Scarlet Hawk Invitational

CHICAGO, Ill. – The Olivet College volleyball team won four-set matches over Eureka (Ill.) College and Principia (Ill.) College this afternoon at the Keating Sports Center in Chicago. With the wins, the Comets finish their weekend trip to the Illinois Tech Scarlet Hawk Invitational with a perfect 4-0 record and improve their overall record to 10-9.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Olivet def. Eureka 25-20, 22-25, 25-20, 25-12
Location: Keating Sports Center; Chicago, Ill.
Records: Olivet 9-9 overall, Eureka 8-8 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In the first set, Olivet held a lead until the Red Devils surged ahead for the first time at 12-11. After a 13-13 tie, the Comets scored the next point on a kill by freshman Morgan Champion put them ahead for good.  
• Olivet held a pair of four-point leads, 4-0 and 6-2, in the second set. Eureka scored the next four points to level the score at 6-6. The Comets regained a three-point cushion, 10-7. The Red Devils battled back to take a 16-15 lead. Following a 16-16 tie, Eureka went on a 3-0 run for a 19-16 advantage. The Blue Devils never looked back and won the set 25-22. 
• Like the second set, Olivet opened the third set by scoring the first four points. Eureka fought back and took an 11-9 lead. Following another two-point lead, 12-10, for the Red Devils, the Comets went on a 5-0 run to go up 15-12. Eureka would close to within one point on two occasions, with the last time being 20-19. Olivet ended the set on a 5-1 run.
• In the fourth set, the Comets were down early twice by a point. After the last time at 6-5, Olivet scored eight of the next 10 points to take control of the set and eventually won it, 25-12.

FOR THE COMETS

• For the match, the Comets had 51 kills and .145 attacking percentage.
• Three players reached double figures in kills, led junior Allison Turner with 12. Freshmen Madelyn Notenbaum and Morgan Champion had 11 and 10, respectively.
• Freshman Brittney Prince slammed down eight kills to go along with four blocks in the front row.
• Senior Danielle Bearden registered 27 set assists.
• Junior Courtney Cronkright posted a match-high 24 digs.

FOR THE RED DEVILS

• Eureka had 42 kills and hit at a .112 clip.
• Destiny Adkins topped the team with 12 kills.
• Heather Robinson recorded 19 set assists.
• Jordan Detmers finished with 19 digs.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Olivet def. Principia 25-19, 25-16, 12-25, 25-23
Location: Keating Sports Center; Chicago, Ill.
Records: Olivet 10-9 overall, Principia 10-8 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In the first set, the Panthers led 3-2. The Comets scored four consecutive points to take the lead back, 6-3 and never trailed for the rest of the set.
• Olivet had the lead from start-to-finish in the second set. The nine-point margin of victory was the largest Comet lead of the set.
• Principia returned the favor in the third set, leading it from wire-to-wire.
• The Panthers led the fourth set 8-2 before the Comets went on a 6-0 scoring spurt to tie the set at 8-8. Olivet then surged ahead by three, 13-10, until Principia answered with its own 6-0 run to go up 16-13. The Comets responded with four consecutive points to go up 17-16. The teams traded points, causing four tied scores, with the last one being 23-23. A service error gave Olivet match point and a kill by Turner ended the set and match.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet recorded 47 kills in the victory.
• For the second straight match, Turner led the Comets with 13 kills.
• Notenbaum had a triple double – 11 kills, 14 set assists and 17 digs.
• Bearden collected 21 set assists.
• Senior Mona Hinamanu led all players with 29 digs.

FOR THE PANTHERS       

• Principia had 38 kills.
• Emily Tippetts recorded a match-best 17 kills.
• Devon Marunde had 28 set assists.
• Marunde and Sophia Hathaway each collected 16 digs.

UP NEXT                                                                                

• The Comets resume Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play next Tuesday, Oct. 4, at home against Calvin College. First serve at The Cutler Event Center is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.