DC Secures Spot in HCAC Tournament with Win
DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance College volleyball team notched its third-straight Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference victory on Sunday with a 3-1 win over Rose-Hulman.
DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance College volleyball team notched its third-straight Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference victory on Sunday with a 3-1 win over Rose-Hulman. The victory also moved the Jackets into a tie for first place in the league and clinched a spot in the upcoming HCAC Tournament.
DC took control early with a 25-22 victory in the opening set, before the Engineers rallied late in the second set to even the match with a 26-24 win. The Jackets then turned to their bench for a spark and were rewarded when Marlea Rolander and Jessica Tietje took over the action in the final two sets.
The duo combined for 13 kills in 21 swings and notched seven blocks in the third and fourth sets to help Defiance reclaim control of the match. DC used the boost to pull out a 25-22 win in the third set and finished off the match with a 25-16 victory in the fourth and final set.
Rolander ended the match with 11 kills and one error in 19 swings for a blistering .529 percentage, while adding five blocks. Tietje provided five kills in seven swings, while Bria Gendron's four kills in seven tries and Kelsey Ferguson's six assists in limited action rounded out an outstanding performance from DC's reserves.
Several players in the starting lineup also played well, as Danyel Lipps and Sara Porter each chipped in double-doubles. Lipps went for a match-high 15 kills, 13 digs and six blocks and Porter recorded 12 kills to go with 15 digs. Kristen Nicely joined Rolander, Lipps and Porter in double figures with 12 kills of her own, while Julie Brunsman added 51 assists and 10 digs and Heather Bradshaw tacked on 20 digs to lead all players.
Defiance now stands at 5-1 in HCAC action and in a tie with Mount St. Joseph for the top spot in the league standings with two matches remaining. DC will continue its pursuit of the HCAC Championship when it hosts Manchester (16-10, 3-4 HCAC) on Tuesday night at 7:00 pm in the final home match of the regular season for the Jackets.
DC will honor its lone senior, Lauren Aldridge, prior to the start of the match as part of the Senior Day and Parents Day activities.