Women’s volleyball team loses two matches at Oregon Trail Classic

NEWBERG, Oregon – The Olivet College volleyball team made the long trip to Newberg, Oregon, to compete in the 2017 Oregon Trail Classic. In today's first day of competition, the Comets lost in four sets to Linfield College and in three sets to host George Fox University.

THE BASICS
Final Score: Linfield def. Olivet 25-23, 25-21, 23-25, 25-12
Location: Wheeler Sports Center; Newberg, Oregon
Records: Olivet 0-1 overall, Linfield 1-0 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• After the Comets scored the first point of the opening set, the Wildcats scored four straight to go up 4-1. Olivet battled back to take a three-point lead, 11-8. The final two points of the run were aces by sophomore Gabrielle Mundt. Linfield answered with a 5-0 scoring spurt to go up 13-11. The Comets did not give up and battled back to tie the set at 18-18. The Wildcats responded with four consecutive points before the Comets closed twice to a point, 23-22 and 24-23. A kill ended the set in favor of Linfield.
• The second set started out the same way the first did, with the Wildcats holding a 4-1 lead. Olivet was able to chip away at its deficit and eventually took a pair of one-point leads. After the last time at 13-12, the Wildcats went on a 7-1 run and did not relinquish the lead for the rest of the set.
• Linfield appeared to have control of the set and match by taking a 13-4 lead in the third set. The Comets fought back to cut its deficit down to a point twice 14-13 and 17-16. The Wildcats then went up by five points, 22-17 and 23-18. Olivet ended the set on a 7-0 run to win it 25-23. Freshman Mia Parker was at the service line during both large scoring runs in the set.
• The Comets used the momentum early in the fourth set, holding a pair of two-point leads, 2-0 and 4-2. From there, Linfield scored six of the next seven points to go up 8-5. The Wildcats did not give up the lead for the remainder of the set to pull out the four-set win.

FOR THE COMETS

• Senior Courtney Cronkright and sophomore Brittney Prince each had 11 kills to lead the front row.
• Sophomore Morgan Champion posted a team-best .400 attack percentage, with nine kills and three errors on 15 attempts.
• Cronkright also recorded a team-leading 11 digs.
• Sophomore Madelyn Notenbaum dished out 26 assists.

THE BASICS
Final Score: George Fox def. Olivet 25-21, 25-19, 25-13
Location: Wheeler Sports Center; Newberg, Oregon
Records: Olivet 0-2 overall, George Fox 1-0 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• George Fox held a 2-1 lead in the first set before the Comets used two kills and two Bruin attack errors to go up 5-2. Olivet maintained the advantage until George Fox took a 7-6 lead and did not give it up for the rest of the set.
• The Bruins opened the second set by scoring six consecutive points. The Comets fought back to tie the set at 12-12 and eventually go up by three points, 17-14. George Fox put 11 of the final 13 points on the scoreboard to win the set, 25-19.
• The third was all Bruins, as they led it from start-to-finish.

FOR THE COMETS

• Champion and Cronkright had nine kills apiece.
• Notenbaum and sophomore Rose Kemmerling split setting duties, finishing with 15 and eight, respectively.
• Cronkright added a team-best eight digs.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORES

• Tonight's matches marked the first time the Comets in school history that they have played a school on the west coast of the United States.

UP NEXT

• Olivet makes the 30-minute drive north to Forest Grove, Oregon, to play two matches at Pacific University. The Comets face Willamette University at 2 p.m., followed by a match against the host Boxers.