Olivet tripped up by Alma in five sets

OLIVET, Mich. – The University of Olivet women's volleyball team fell to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) rival Alma College in a thrilling five-set match on Senior Day at the Cutler Event Center.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Alma defeated Olivet 25-23, 17-25, 25-23, 17-25, 15-11
• Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 13-9 overall, 1-3 MIAA; Alma 6-15 overall, 3-2 MIAA

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Scots and Comets traded four-point runs to open the first set. Down 8-4, Olivet chipped away at its deficit and eventually tied the score 11-11. Alma battled back to go ahead by three points, 19-16. The Comets scored four of the next five points to take a 21-20 lead. The Scots came back with two points to regain the lead. The teams traded points to put Alma ahead by one, 23-22. An Olivet kill leveled the score one more time at 23-23. The Scots ended the set with back-to-back kills.
• Alma scored the first three points of the second set. The Comets answered an 8-1 run to go up 8-4. Three Scot points closed the gap to a single point. After a service error, senior Maddie Reynolds stepped onto the service line and helped Olivet score eight consecutive points, including three aces, for a 17-7 lead. The Comets did not give up the advantage for the rest of the set.
• In the third set, Olivet built a seven-point lead at 11-4. Alma responded with a 10-2 spurt to take a 14-13 lead. After an exchange of points put the Comets up by two, 20-18, the Scots used a 5-1 run to go ahead 23-21. Olivet cut its deficit down to one point at 23-22 and 24-23 before an Alma kill closed out the set in its favor.
• The Comets had a wire-to-wire lead in the fourth set to force the deciding fifth set.
• The fifth set was back-and-forth. There were eight tied scores and four lead changes in the first 22 points put on the scoreboard. After the eighth deadlock at 11-11, the Scots scored the final four points.
• The final stats are as close as the final score was. Alma had one more kill, 55 to 54, and posted a slightly better hitting percentage, .137 to .129. Both teams had 73 digs.

FOR THE COMETS

• Senior Abi Nunez pounded down a match-high 20 kills.
• Sophomore Julia Hall tallied 11 kills along with eight blocks (three solo and five solo).
• Senior Hayleah McFadden recorded 10 kills.
• Senior Teagan Giannunzio dished out 37 set assists, while senior Maddie Johnson had eight assists in one set.
• Junior Jaydn Cary was one of five players to reach double figures in digs, as she led all players with 23.
• Freshman Ashlynn Giannunzio was next with 17 digs, followed by Teagan Giannunzio (11), Reynolds (11) and Nunez (10).
• Reynolds and Nunez served four and three aces, respectively.

BEYOND THE BOX SCORE

• Prior to the match, Olivet recognized its seven seniors – Teagan Giannunzio, Jaelyn Hampton, Kayin Harper, Maddie Johnson, Hayleah McFadden, Abi Nunez and Maddie Reynolds.

UP NEXT

• The Comets travel to play nationally-ranked Hope College next Wednesday, October 23, at 6:30 p.m.