Jackets Keep Perch Atop HCAC Standings with Sweep

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance picked up its fourth-straight victory in league play with a three-set win over HCAC foe Manchester on Tuesday night.

Team Stats

October 28, 2008

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance picked up its fourth-straight victory in league play with a three-set win over HCAC foe Manchester on Tuesday night. The Jackets will now play for at least a share of the HCAC Championship when they close out the regular season at Bluffton on Nov. 4 at 7:00 pm.

DC dominated action from the start and blitzed the Spartans with a .343 hitting percentage in the opening set, compared to Manchester's .050 clip. Kristen Nicely led the way, picking up six kills in the 25-15 victory.

The Jackets struggled out of the gates in the second set and hit five errors in their first 17 swings to allow Manchester to take a brief, 9-7, advantage. Defiance used a timeout to get back on track and a Sara Porter kill ignited a 4-0 surge to push the Jackets out in front, 11-9.

The four-point swell would turn into a 10-5 rally for Defiance, which was capped by another kill from Nicely and a 17-14 lead. Porter then collected back-to-back service aces to push the spread to 22-18 and a kill from Danyel Lipps sealed the 25-23 victory.

The third set saw Defiance jump out to a 3-0 advantage and never look back. DC cruised to the 25-16 win to finish off the sweep of the Spartans.

Nicely led all players with 15 kills and Lipps picked up her fourth-straight double-double with 10 kills and a match-high 19 digs. Julie Brunsman tossed up 38 assists to go with 11 digs and Michelle Sikora added a trio of blocks.

The match was the final regular season home contest in the career of Lauren Aldridge. DC's only senior was honored prior to the start of the match and ended with three kills, four digs and a pair of aces.

Defiance moves to 6-1 in HCAC play and 14-11 overall with the victory. The Jackets remain locked in a tie with Mount St. Joseph for first place in the standings after the Lions handled Hanover in straight sets.

DC and MSJ each have one match remaining and both will come on the road on Tuesday, Nov. 4. The Jackets travel to Bluffton, while the Mount will make the trip to Rose-Hulman.