Volleyball team has 1-1 record at Defiance Tri-match to clinch first winning season since 1982

DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Olivet College volleyball team had a 1-1 record in a pair of non-league matches today at the Defiance College Tri-match, held at Karl H. Weaner Center in Defiance, Ohio. After falling to Transylvania (Ky.) University in four sets, the Comets rebounded to beat the host Yellow Jackets in three sets. With the split, Olivet has a 14-10 overall record and clinch their first winning season since 1982.

Final Score: Transylvania def. Olivet 17-25, 25-17, 25-18, 25-10
Location: Karl H. Weaner Center in Defiance, Ohio
Records: Olivet 13-10 overall, Transylvania 23-4 overall

• In the first set, the Pioneers held a 9-5 lead. Transylvania maintained its advantage at 14-12 and 15-13. Olivet then then used two kills by junior Audrey Lama, a service ace by senior Morgan Schneider and an attack error to take its first lead, 17-15. The Comets did not trail for the rest of the set, as they scored eight of the final 10 points of the set. Olivet posted a .333 attack percentage in the first set.
• After being down 3-2 in the second set, the Pioneers went on a 6-0 run. Transylvania did not relinquish its lead for the remainder of the set.
• The teams traded the first 12 points of the third set, resulting in six tied scores. Three Pioneer kills and a service ace made the score 10-6. Olivet never recovered from that deficit.
• The Comets led 1-0 in the fourth set on a kill by junior Laken Groll. Four straight Transylvania points made the score 4-1, and it was never behind for the rest of the set.

• Lama finished the match with a team-best 10 kills and .381 hitting percentage.
• Senior Morgan Champion and freshman Ellie Louiselle each had nine kills.
• Senior Madelyn Notenbaum dished out 23 set assists. She also had one ace to move into second all-time at Olivet.
• Sophomore Drue Mullin led all players with 20 digs.

• Transylvania, ranked No. 23 in this week's American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, received 18 kills from Jordan Horne.
• Adeline Tonn and Emmie Bender were next with nine and eight kills, respectively.
• Hannah Talkers recorded 40 set assists and 16 digs.
• Abby Wills tallied 17 digs.

Final Score: Olivet def. Defiance 25-22, 25-22, 27-25
Location: Karl H. Weaner Center in Defiance, Ohio
Records: Olivet 14-10 overall, Defiance 15-11 overall

• The Comets built an 8-4 lead in the first set. The Yellow Jackets responded with seven consecutive points. Trailing 13-10, Olivet went on a 5-0 run on four kills and one attack error to take the lead back 15-13. Defiance battled back to level the score at 20-20. A kill by Lama and a service ace by Mullin put the Comets back on top. Defiance answered with its own 2-0 run to tie the score at 22-22. Three Olivet kills, one each for Champion, Notenbaum and Groll, ended the set in its favor.
• In the second set, neither team had a large lead until the Yellow Jackets surged ahead by five points, 19-14. The Comets came back with a 7-1 run to take a 21-20 lead. Defiance tied the score at 21-21 before back-to-back kills by Lama and Groll put Olivet ahead 23-21. A Yellow Jacket kill made the score 23-22 but the Comets scored the final two points on a kill by Champion and ace by Notenbaum.
• Olivet raced out to an 8-4 lead in the third set. Defiance chipped away at its deficit and took its first lead at 19-18. Another Yellow Jacket kill made the score 20-18. Kills by Champion and Louiselle leveled the score at 20-20. The teams traded points to create two more ties at 21-21 and 22-22. A Defiance attack error and service ace by freshman Jill Arends got Olivet to match point. The Yellow Jackets had two kills to level the score at 24-24. Both teams had a kill to create one more tied score at 25-25. Back-to-back kills by Lama gave the match to the Comets.

• Olivet had 48 kills and .207 attack percentage compared to 35 kills and .134 attack percentage for Defiance.
• Champion slammed down 15 kills, with only one error on 39 attempts for a .359 hitting percentage.
• Lama was next with 14 kills.
• Notenbaum recorded a match-best 41 set assists.
• Mullin was one of five players to reach double figures in digs, as she had 19.

• Jessi Davis topped the team with 12 kills, followed by Delaney Monnin with 10.
• Brianna Wheeler dished out 32 set assists.
• Morgan Porter led the defense with 16 digs.

• The 1982 team finished the season with a 22-14 overall record, including 7-5 mark against conference opponents.
• Olivet's 14 wins match the 2015 and 2018 teams for the second-most wins in a season in school history.

• Olivet wraps-up the regular season portion of its schedule next week when it faces the top two teams in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association. On Wednesday night, the Comets play at leader Calvin College, starting at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday morning, Olivet hosts Hope College. First serve is at 11 a.m.