HCAC Tourney Loss Ends Jackets' Season

DEFIANCE, OHIO -- The Defiance College volleyball team ended their season with a four-set loss to Manchester (Ind.) University, 3-1, in a quarterfinal match of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament at the Karl H. Weaner Center.

The Yellow Jackets (10-15) started the opening set well, scoring three of the first four, and seven of the first nine points. DC led, 12-6, when Manchester (18-11) added four straight points to cut the lead to 12-10. The Spartans clawed their way back to an 18-18 tie when two MU errors and a kill from DC freshman Jessica Davis (Delta) made it 21-18 with the Jackets in front. Each team scored two points before three straight points from the Spartans tied the set at 23-23. Kills from junior Meredith Shank (Maumee/Springfield) and senior Makayla Dennis (Bryan) ended the set and gave DC the 25-23 victory.

The tides turned in set number two, as Manchester jumped out to a 13-8 lead in the early stages. The Spartan lead stayed at five, 20-15, when the Yellow Jackets scored five consecutive points of their own and suddenly the score was tied at 20. Manchester got three straight tallies to lead 23-20, but a kill by Shank was followed by three attack errors by the Spartans and DC had set point, leading 24-23. But the Spartans scored three straight points to seize momentum and and claim the 26-24 win to tie the match at a set apiece.

Defiance took a quick 8-6 lead in the third set, but Manchester scored six of the next seven points to take a 14-10 lead. The Spartan lead was still at four (17-13) when DC rallied off five of the next six points to even the set at 18-18. The teams exchanged scoring runs with Manchester eventually pulling away and claimed the set with three straight points for a 25-21 final and gave the Spartans a 2-1 overall edge in the match. 

The final set saw Manchester jump out to an early 4-1 lead, then hold onto a three-point edge until the score read 12-9. Three straight DC points, including back-to-back kills by sophomore Marissa Windau (Castalia/Margaretta), tied the set at 12-12. Manchester led 14-13 before putting the final nail in the coffin, as they rallied for six consecutive points to lead, 20-14, and virtually ending the match as the Spartans took the set, 25-18, and the match, 3-1.

The Yellow Jacket offense was led by Windau with 13 kills and a team-leading .216 attack percentage. Shank was the only other Defiance attacker in double figures, as she finished with 10 kills. Jessica Davis led the way in assists for Defiance with 23 while senior Ari Mahaffey (Porter, Ind./Chesterton) had 17 dimes. 

Defensively, Dennis took home top honors with 17 digs for the Yellow Jackets, while Cronin added 12 digs. Junior Jaidyn Patridge (Toledo/Springfield) and Jessica Davis also finished the match in double figures with 11 and 10 digs, respectively. Sophomore Brooke Plummer (Plain City/Jonothan Alder) was joined by Windau with three assisted blocks apiece to lead DC in that category.