Box Score
The Malone University volleyball team suffered a 25-22, 25-21, 25-12 loss to Point Loma Nazarene (CA) University on Thursday evening during the third and final day of pool play action at the NAIA National Tournament. The defeat brought Malone's outstanding 2010 season to a close as the Pioneers ended the year with a final overall record of 33-10. The Sea Lions, meanwhile, registered their third pool-play victory in as many days to improve to 21-12 overall. Point Loma Nazarene and the winner of Thursday's later contest between NAIA No. 4 Northwestern (IA) College and NAIA No. 9 Lewis-Clark State (ID) College will advance from Pool D to the 12-team single-elimination bracket that begins on Friday.
Point Loma Nazarene completed its undefeated run through the pool-play round with a potent attack that featured 49 kills and a .294 attack percentage in Thursday's match. Malone countered with 28 kills and a .100 hitting percentage, which marked its best attack numbers of the tournament. However, it was not enough to stop the Sea Lions who were fueled by outside hitter Tabitha Henken's 25 kills.
Outside hitter
Jennifer Gahagan posted nine kills, nine digs and an ace to lead the way for Malone. Right-side hitter
Megan Fisher followed with five kills. Middle hitter
Hannah Haver contributed four kills, 10 digs and two service aces. Outside hitter
Lori Gale added three kills and 11 digs while setter
Jackie Schwamberger notched three kills and 19 assists.
Malone kept things close in the first two sets of Thursday's match. The Sea Lions fought back from a 21-18 deficit in set two, taking the frame 25-21 with seven straight points. Point Loma Nazarene then used the momentum from this late rally to pull away early in the third and final set of the night.
Senior Stats: Gahagan concludes her impressive four-year career with 1889 kills, the fourth-most in Malone volleyball history…Gahagan is also sixth all-time in kills per set (3.22), second in attack attempts (5294), seventh in service aces (177), seventh in digs (1835) and seventh in total blocks (333)…Gale also left her mark on the record book as she ends her career ranked ninth in kills (1349), ninth in attack attempts (4309), fifth in service aces (222), and fourth in digs (2007).
