Women’s volleyball team loses five-set match to Manchester

OLIVET, Mich. – The Olivet College volleyball team stepped out of Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play for the night and lost a thrilling five-set match to Manchester (Ind.) University at the Cutler Event Center in Olivet.

Final Score: Manchester (Ind.) def. Olivet 22-25, 23-25, 25-17, 25-22, 15-11
Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Michigan
Records: Olivet 12-7 overall, Manchester 6-11 overall

• In the first set, the Comets used a 5-0 run to turn a 7-3 deficit into an 8-7 lead. After the Spartans tied the score at 8-8, Olivet scored 10 of the next 14 points to take its largest lead, 18-12. Manchester fought back to level the score at 20-20. The Comets put five of the final seven points on the scoreboard to win the set 25-22.
• The Spartans built a seven-point advantage, 21-14, in the second set. Backed by the service of senior Madelyn Notenbaum, Olivet went on a 9-0 run for a 23-21 lead. The teams traded points the rest of the way and the Comets won the set 25-23.
• Both teams started the third set on 2-0 runs. From there, points were exchanged and Olivet led 6-5. The Spartans then used a 5-0 run to take a 10-6 lead. The Comets battled back and tied the set at 12-12. A kill put Manchester ahead and it never gave up the lead for the rest of the set.
• Olivet led 4-2 in the fourth set. The Spartans responded with six straight points to go up 8-4. Manchester did not relinquish its lead for the remainder of the set and force a deciding set.
• The only time the Spartans trailed in the fifth set was 2-1. Manchester went on a 4-0 run and never looked back.

• Olivet totaled 49 kills, including 12 each for senior Morgan Champion and freshman Ellie Louiselle.
• Sophomore Drue Mullin added nine kills, while Audrey Lama had eight.
• Notenbaum dished out 44 set assists.
• Senior libero Gabrielle Mundt finished with a team-high 26 digs.

• Halle Planck and Kara Heckmuller tallied 17 and 16 kills, respectively.
• Alexandria Collins collected 30 set assists.
• Anna Marie Lawrie registered a match-high 30 digs.

• The Comets are off until Sunday when they play two matches at Dominican (Ill.) University. Olivet plays Illinois Institute of Technology at 1:30 p.m. ET, and the host Stars at approximately 4 p.m. ET.