Women’s volleyball team opens MIAA play with three-set win at Alma

ALMA, Mich. – The Olivet College women's volleyball team started Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play with a three-set win over Alma College this evening inside the Art Smith Arena.

• Final Score: Olivet defeated Alma 25-20, 25-20, 26-24
• Location: Art Smith Arena; Alma, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 3-9 overall, 1-0 MIAA; Alma 2-8 overall, 0-1 MIAA

• The Scots led by four points, 10-6, in the first set. The Comets chipped away at their deficit and eventually took a 13-12 lead. After Alma evened the score, Olivet scored the next three points and never looked back to win the set by a 25-20 score.
• The Comets raced out to a 5-1 lead in the second set. The Scots fought and leveled the score at 15-15. Six straight Olivet points – five kills and Alma attack error – put Olivet ahead for good at 21-15.
• The early stage of the third set was back-and-forth. Alma gained the largest lead for either team at 15-10. A 5-0 run for the Comets tied the score and forced the Scots to call a timeout. Olivet added to its lead out of the timeout, scoring three more points for a 18-15 lead. The Scots did not give up and used a 9-4 spurt to go up 24-22. Two Comet points leveled the score at 24-24. Sophomore Kayin Harper stepped to the service line and had an ace to get Olivet to set and match point. On her next serve, the attack attempt by the Alma middle hitter was blocked down for the winning point by freshman Violet Porter

• For the match, Olivet totaled 42 kills compared to 29 for the Scots. The Comets also hit at a higher percentage at .258 to .117 for the Scots.
• Senior Ellie Louiselle slammed down a match-high 15 kills.
• Junior Olivia DuFore also reached double figures in kills with 10.
• Junior Morgan Dillon had six kills, followed by senior Logan Allen with five.
• Senior Kennedy Blackburn dished out 37 set assists.
• Junior Emily Keeler and senior Jill Arends finished with 12 and 11 digs, respectively .

The @OlivetCollegeVB team opens @MIAA1888 play with three-set win at Alma. With the score tied at 24-24 in the third set, Olivet team scores the last two points on a Kayin Harper ace and Violet Porter block to win the set and match for the Comets. #GoCOMETS #OCNation pic.twitter.com/X2nEldvTuB

— Olivet College Athletics (@OlivetAthletics) September 21, 2022

• Callie Smith recorded a team-best six kills.
• Madison Bott and McKenzie Smith were next with five kills apiece.
• Bott also collected a team-high 10 digs.
• Megan Greenup and Ashley Miller registered 12 and 11 set assists, respectively

• Olivet hosts Manchester (Ind.) University tomorrow evening at 6:30 p.m.