UOlivet loses Senior Day match in five sets to Trine

OLIVET, Mich. – The University of Olivet men's volleyball team fell to Trine (Ind.) University in a thrilling five-set Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League (MCVL) league match on Senior Day inside the Cutler Event Center. The Comets won the first set before the Thunder won the next two sets. Olivet posted a 25-23 win in the fourth set to force the deciding set, which Trine won, 15-8.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Trine defeated Olivet 20-25, 25-15, 25-16, 23-25, 15-8
• Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 2-20 overall, 0-7 MCVL; Trine 14-7 overall, 4-2 MCVL

HOW IT HAPPENED

• With the score knotted at 7-7, the Comets went on a 9-2 run to take a 16-9 lead. Olivet held the lead for the rest of the set, winning it by a 25-20 score.
• In the second set, Trine raced out to a 5-1 lead and never looked back en route to a 25-15 win.
• The teams traded the first 16 points of the third set, which resulted in six tied scores. Freshman Silas Martin slammed down two kills to put Olivet ahead 10-8. The Thunder responded with a 6-2 burst to go up 14-12. The Comets closed the gap to a point before Trine closed the set on an 11-4 run for a 25-16 win.
• In the fourth set, Trine built a three-point lead on multiple occasions. After the last time at 15-12, Olivet put together an 8-2 spurt to take a 20-17 lead. The Comets held a three-point cushion two more times. Following a 22-19 lead, the Thunder scored three points to even the score. A kill by sophomore Aiden Chamblee put Olivet ahead, followed by an attack error for each team made the score 24-23. Chamblee recorded another kill to give the set to the Comets and push the match to a fifth set.
• Trine began the deciding set by putting the first nine points on the scoreboard. Olivet was not able to recover from the deficit, as the Thunder went on to win the set, 15-8.

FOR THE COMETS

• Martin finished with a team-high 18 kills, followed by Chamblee with 15.
• Sophomore Amarion Lawson tallied seven kills to go along with six blocks (one solo and five assisted).
• Senior Will Mensching recorded 43 set assists, 13 digs, two aces and three assisted blocks.
• Chamblee also had 13 digs.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Before the match, Olivet honored its two seniors – Mensching and Jackson Arkles – who played in their final home match. With his two aces in today's match, Mensching became the career leader with 57.

UP NEXT

• The Comets are on the road next Friday and Saturday, April 4-5, to end their season. Olivet plays Franklin (Ind.) College on Friday night at 6 p.m. and Wabash (Ind.) College on Saturday afternoon at 1 p.m.