Jackets Clinch HCAC Tourney Birth With Win

DEFIANCE, OHIO -- The Defiance College volleyball team ensured their spot in next week's Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference volleyball tournament with a straight-set victory against Earlham (Ind.) College at the Karl H. Weaner Center.

The Yellow Jackets (9-12, 5-2 HCAC) opened the match trailing the Quakers (5-23, 0-8 HCAC), 11-8, in the early going. DC then went on a 6-1 spurt that included a couple of kills from freshman Emma Seitz (Toledo/Central Catholic) that put them ahead, 14-12. Earlham fought back to tie the match at 20-20 before three straight DC points put the Jackets ahead, 23-20. Earlham rallied again with three points of their own to get it to 23-23 before the teams exchanged points up until it was tied at 28-28. A kill from Jessica Davis (Delta) and an attack error for the Quakers gave Defiance the first set, 30-28.

Defiance took a quick 14-6 advantage in set two that included scoring eight out of nine points early. Earlham battled back to within one point, 15-14, before two errors and a kill by junior Marissa Windau (Castalia/Margaretta) put DC ahead 18-14. The teams exchanged points until DC scored four of the final five points of the set, with a kill by Seitz giving Defiance a 25-19 set two win. 

DC dominated from the start in the third and final set. While leading 6-4, Defiance scored 17 of the next 20 points to put DC ahead 23-7 before finishing off a 25-11 final set victory and claiming the match in straight sets. 

On the offensive end, Seitz led the charge with 12 kills while committing just two errors (.385 attack percentage). Windau also added 10 kills with just a single error for a .409 attack percentage. Senior setter Ari Mahaffey (Porter, Ind./Chesterton) finished the match with 35 assists in the victory.

Defensively, senior Makayla Dennis (Bryan) led the way for DC with 16 digs, while freshman Abigail Cronin (Lambertville, Mich./Cardinall Stritch Catholic) added nine and Mahaffey chipped in with eight. Seitz also led DC in blocks with three total, two of them being solo stuffs.

The Yellow Jackets hit the road for the final time this regular season on Saturday, Oct. 29 as they head to Franklin, Ind for a tri-match. The day will open with the Yellow Jackets battling the host Grizzlies in a HCAC matchup at 1 p.m. That will be followed by a non-conference matchup against the Kenyon College Ladies at approximately 3 p.m.