Transylvania Outlasts the Yellow Jackets

DEFIANCE, OHIO -- The Defiance College volleyball team battled to the end, but eventually fell to the Transylvania (Ky.) University Pioneers, 27-25, 25-27, 25-23 and 27-25 in a Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference matchup at the Karl H. Weaner Center.

The opening set began with the Yellow Jackets (5-11, 1-2 HCAC) taking an early 10-7 advantage. This lead would be short lived, as Transy (11-8, 3-1 HCAC) tied the match at 13-13 before eventually taking an 18-14 lead after scoring four consecutive points. DC trailed 23-20 before scoring four of the next five markers, as the Pioneers had attack errors on three of those points. Transylvania tallied three of the last four points to take the set, 27-25.

After stumbling early and trailing 3-0, Defiance evened the match quickly at 6-6. Neither team led by more than two points until three straight points from the Yellow Jackets brought their lead to 19-15 late in the set. Senior Ari Mahaffey (Porter, Ind./Chesterton) garnered two kills in four points to give the Yellow Jackets a 23-21 advantage before three straight markers by the Pioneers gave them set point. A block from freshman Jessica Davis (Delta) and sophomore Brooke Plummer (Plain City/Jonothan Alder) tied the match. Transy got another set point that was squandered by a kill from freshman Emma Seitz (Toledo/Central Catholic). An ace by Makayla Dennis (Bryan) gave DC a 26-25 lead and an error from the Pioneers gave Defiance the 27-25 victory to tie the match at one set apiece.

Set number three was just as hotly contested with the set being tied at 10-10. Transylvania then scored seven of the next ten points to make it 17-13 for the Pioneers. The Pioneers held a five-point lead (22-17) before three straight points by DC, capped by a Windau kill, cut the deficit to 22-20, and the Yellow Jackets could get no closer as they fell 25-23 in the end.

Junior Meredith Shank (Maumee/Springfield) had two kills and two service aces as Defiance pulled away to a quick 12-5 lead in the fourth set. DC held that seven point advantage at 18-11 before the Pioneers rallied, running to a 12-3 spurt to take a 23-21 lead late in the match. Three straight kills from Seitz, Windau, and Mahaffey gave DC a match point, but Transy finished the Yellow Jackets off scoring four of the final five points of the match to take the set, 27-25, and the overall match, 3-1.

The Defiance attack was led by Windau, as she finishd with 10 kills and three blocks.  Shank added nine kills with a team-high three service aces and had three blocks. Mahaffey finished the match with 29 assists to lead DC.

Defensively, Dennis led the charge with 20 digs, while senior Dia Jackson (Detroit, Mich./Canton) finished with ten digs. Freshman Jessica Davis (Delta) joined Shank and Windau with a team-high three blocks.

Defiance will look to rebound as they get right back to HCAC play when they travel to North Manchester, Ind. to take on the Manchester University Spartans on Wednesday, Oct. 12. The match is set to begin a 7 p.m.