Yellow Jackets fall short in five sets at Franklin

FRANKLIN, Ind. - The Defiance College volleyball team dropped a hard fought contest in a match that went the distance Saturday afternoon at the Spurlock Center. The Yellow Jackets came up short in five sets (10-25, 26-24, 24-26, 25-23, 13-25). 

Franklin improves to 8-16 overall and 2-5 in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. The Yellow Jackets fall to 4-20 overall and 0-7 in the HCAC. 

Franklin dominated the first set and scored the first seven points. The Yellow Jackets got on the board thanks to a service error from Kamzi Gross. The first offensive point was a kill by Jamia Murray and the Grizzlies followed with back-to-back attack errors to make it a 17-8 lead for Franklin. Jaelyn Tomoletz added a kill late in the set. The Grizzlies took set one, 25-10.

The Yellow Jackets were able to shake off a slow start in the second set. Trailing 12-7, the Yellow Jackets got a kill from Jamia Murray and attack errors from Franklin to get within one, 12-11. Trailing 15-12, Defiance took their first lead with five straight points fueled by kills from Kaylynn Wellman and Madison Schoenauer as well as three service aces from Kayla Boettger. The Yellow Jackets faced set point trailing 24-23. Shelby Clements tied it at 24 with a kill and Kaylynn Wellman closed out the set with a kill to the match at one set apiece.

After a back-and-forth start to set three, Shelby Clements recorded a kill and Kayla Boettger added a service ace to give Defiance a 7-4 lead. The Yellow Jackets continued to play well and got kills from Jaelyn Tomoletz, Kaylynn Wellman, and Shelby Clements to take a 19-14 lead. Franklin stormed back to take the lead, and a kill by Jamia Murray tied it at 22. Back-to-back kills by Hope Moring gave Franklin a 24-22 lead. The Grizzlies followed that up with consecutive attack errors to make the score 24-24. The Grizzlies followed with consecutive kills again by Hope Moring to win set three 26-24 and take a two sets to one lead.

The Yellow Jackets started slow in set four but slowly climbed back into it. Trailing 11-7, the Yellow Jackets got a kill from Jaelyn Tomoletz and a service ace from Emma Chafins to take a 12-11 lead. With the two teams taking turns trading blows, Kaylynn Wellman recorded a kill to tie it at 19. Back-to-back service aces by Shelby Clements and a kill by Jamia Murray gave Defiance a 23-21 lead. Leading 24-23, Murray recorded another kill to close out the set and force a fifth set. 

A Hope Yost service ace along with kills by Kaylynn Wellman and Shelby Clements gave Defiance a quick 4-1 start in set five. A kill by Jamia Murray and a service ace from Shelby Clements gave the Yellow Jackets a 10-7 lead. Trailing 11-9, the Grizzlies scored the next four points, all kills, to lead 13-11. Following a timeout, Defiance got a service ace from Courtney Maxwell and a kill by Jamia Murray to tie it at 13. Franklin won the next two points to win the match on Defiance errors. Courtney Maxwell followed her service ace with a service error and Franklin clinched the set and match with an attack error by Kaylynn Wellman. 

Franklin finished the match with 67 kills, 63 kills, and 75 digs. Defiance ended the match with 41 kills, 39 assists, and 75 digs. 

Shelby Clements and Jamia Murray finished with 10 kills each. Courtney Maxwell led the way in assists with 34 and Emma Chafins added 28 digs. Kayla Boettger served five aces. 

The Yellow Jackets are back on the road for the final time this season with a match at rival Bluffton on Wednesday, November 1. First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.