Defiance downs Franklin in straight sets during volleyball season finale

The Yellow Jackets secured a three-set sweep over Franklin on Saturday afternoon at the Karl H. Weaner Center. Defiance's lone senior, Mackenzie Umbaugh, led the charge with 10 kills in her final collegiate match. Defiance volleyball finished the 2022 season with a 4-19 record by recording their first win in conference play. 

The Basics

• Records: Defiance (4-19, 1-8), Franklin (8-16, 2-7)

• Location: Karl H. Weaner Center - Defiance, Ohio

Inside The Numbers

• Defiance wins in straight sets by scores of 25-22, 25-21 and 25-22.

• Umbaugh came out swinging with four kills in the first set.

• Kaylynn Wellman notched four kills in the second and third sets each after being held to one in the first. She finished her sophomore season as Defiance's leading attacher with 157 kills.

• Jamia Murray landed eight kills to end the year with 124 kills and led the Jackets with two kills per set this year.

• As a team, Defiance had a 20.5 percent attack percentage while Franklin converted just six percent of their attempts.

• Courtney Maxwell served up 32 assists to run her season total to 249.

• Defiance's defense was a key part of the equation, blocking six Franklin attacks compared to two by the Grizzlies. Jaelyn Tomoletz came up with four blocks for the Yellow Jackets.

• Franklin was led in attacking by Miranda Wilson and Hope Moring with eight kills each. Billie Jarrett set her teammates up on 23 occasions. 

• Both teams had clean days serving the ball, committing just four combined service errors. Receiving was also tightly played with Defiance narrowly holding the edge of 92.2 percent compared to Franklin's 91.7 with 11 total receive errors in the match.

The Breakdown

• The Yellow Jackets snapped a 10-game losing streak and earned their first win in HCAC action.

• In the first set, Defiance fell behind 10-6 before going on a nine-point rally to take a 15-10 advantage. It was the only lead change of the first set as the Jackets set the tone. That swing included two aces served up by Tomoletz.

• The stars aligned for the Umbaugh as she closed out the first set of her senior day with the set-clinching kills.

• The second set was much more contentious and featured seven ties and five lead changes. Defiance's big rally was a series of six straight points to go from down 12-10 to lead 16-10. The Jackets and Grizzlies traded blows until Defiance took side-out with a 23-21 lead to close out the second set victory, 25-21.

• Franklin was the first to 10 points in all three sets and led 12-9 in the third before Defiance took the momentum back. The Yellow Jackets built their second nine-point rally of the day to take an 18-12. That sequence was the only lead change of the third set.

• Franklin rallied back to tie the set 21-21, but Defiance prevailed with kills by Kayla Boettger, Murray and the clincher by Wellman.