Volleyball loses neutral match to Allegheny

CLEVELAND, Ohio - The Defiance College volleyball team was taken down in straight sets Friday night by Allegheny inside Horsburgh Gymnasium by scores of 25-14, 25-15, and 25-16. The Yellow Jackets have now lost five straight to begin the year and fall to 0-5 while Allegheny improves to 4-3. 

The Yellow Jackets got off to a blazing 4-0 start in the first set. Jamia Murray and Abby Altizer recorded one kill each and Allegheny gifted Defiance two points on errors. Another kill from Murray gave the Yellow Jackets a 7-6 advantage. From that point on, it was all Gators as they went on to win the next nine points en route to the first set win. 

The Yellow Jackets once again had the early advantage and took a 2-1 lead after a kill from Jaelyn Tomoletz. The Gators and Yellow Jackets would tie three times in the second set, keeping it close still in the early stages of the set. Another kill from Murray saw the Jackets trailing 12-10. Allegheny once again pulled away with another winning streak, this time rattling off six straight points to take an 18-10 lead.

Two errors from Allegheny gave the Yellow Jackets a 2-0 lead in set three. A kill by Angelee Bawek tied the set at two and the Gators would go on to win the next two points. Defiance trailed 4-3 and that would be as close as they would get in the set as the Gators won the next four for an 8-3 advantage and cruised to victory.

Jamia Murray led the team in kills with six and Jaelyn Tomoletz finished with five and Ellie Belvo added three. Emma Chafins finished with a team-high six digs and Kendra Kline had a team-high nine assists. 

The Yellow Jackets finished the match with 21 kills, 19 assists, and 29 digs. Allegheny ended with 40 kills, 37 assists, and 48 digs. 

The Yellow Jackets will play Mount Union tomorrow at noon and host Case Western Reserve at 2 p.m. to wrap up the weekend in Cleveland.