Volleyball loses road contest to Rose-Hulman

Terre Haute, Ind. - The Defiance College volleyball team fell in straight sets Saturday evening at Rose-Hulman (15-25, 15-25, 12-25). The Yellow Jackets drop to 3-14 overall and 0-3 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. Rose-Hulman improves to 11-10 overall and 1-2 in the HCAC. 

The Fightin' Engineers led wire-to-wire in the first set. After dropping the first point of the match, the Yellow Jackets tied it at one on a service error from Jillian Gregg. The first kill of the night came from Kaylynn Wellman. Trailing 15-10, the Yellow Jackets would cut into the deficit to make it 16-14. The only offensive point was a kill by Madison Schoenauer and the other three points were miscues from Rose-Hulman. A kill by Ellie Belvo made it 20-15, but the Fightin' Engineers closed out the set by winning the final five points. 

Defiance got on the board first in set two as Madison Schoenauer started it off with a kill. The Yellow Jackets continued to play well and led 8-4 after a kill from Kaylynn Wellman. A kill by Ellie Belvo saw the Yellow Jackets maintain their advantage and lead 10-8. That was when the tide turned and the Fightin' Engineers roared back. They would score four straight to take a 12-10 lead, their first of the game and Jaelyn Tomoletz cut the lead in half with a kill. Leading 12-11, the home squad rattled off nine straight points to take control and win the set. One of the few points late in the set came from Jamia Murray who returned to action for the first time in a while due to injury. 

The home team would lead wire-to-wire again in set three. Kaylynn Wellman and Madison Schoenauer recorded early kills but DC still faced an early deficit, 7-3. Rose-Hulman would double their lead by winning the next seven points to take a 14-3 lead before a kill from Ellie Belvo momentarily halted the rally. Trailing 21-7, Defiance won five straight points thanks to four errors from their opponent and another kill from Schoenauer. Rose-Hulman closed out the set and match by winning four of the next five points and it was capped off with a kill from Sophie Koop. 

Defiance finished the match with 19 kills, 18 assists, and 51 digs. Rose-Hulman ended with 32 kills, 30 assists, and 51 digs. 

Madison Schoenauer led the team in kills with six, Courtney Maxwell led the way with 11 assists and Emma Chafins finished with a team-high 17 digs. 

The Yellow Jackets have a quick turnaround and will return home to play nationally ranked Transylvania tomorrow (Sunday, Oct. 15) at 2 p.m. inside the Karl H. Weaner Center.