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The Malone University volleyball team advanced to the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Tournament semifinal after eliminating Kentucky Wesleyan College in an exciting five-set come-from behind quarterfinal victory in Mason, Ohio Thursday night. The 19-25, 25-16, 20-25, 25-19, 15-11 victory avenged a five set lost to KWC earlier in the season and gave Malone its first postseason victory since 2011. The Pioneers, now 10-23 on the season, will take on Cedarville University on Friday at 7:30 pm.
 
In an error-filled first set, Malone fell behind 2-9 before fighting back to take a 15-14 lead on a Hannah Meckstroth kill midway through the first frame. From that point, though, Kentucky Wesleyan went on a 7-0 run before eventually closing out the set with a 25-19 victory. Malone struggled on the attack, collecting just seven kills compared to eight attack errors and a -.029 hitting percentage. The Pioneers added six receptions errors, two ball-handling errors, and a blocking error as the youthful squad showed their lack of postseason experience throughout the opening set.
 
After settling down and shaking off the nerves, the Pioneers responded with a convincing 25-16 win in the second set in which they took advantage of 15 Panther errors. Malone still struggled on the offensive side of the net but eliminated their mistakes on the defensive end. The blocking unit came up big for the Pioneers, recording seven blocks and numerous denials to limit the Panthers to a -.059 attack percentage.
 
The Panthers regained the lead in third set as the Pioneers continued to battle with costly blunders. Malone added 16 more errors in the third set including three on KWC's last four points. By the time the third set was finished, Veronica Gehring was the only Malone hitter with a positive hitting percentage.
 
With their backs against wall in a match filled with errors galore, the Pioneers fought back and found a way to win ugly. After the third-set loss, head coach Tanya Hockman made an adjustment in her rotation and the team responded with a 25-19 victory. Malone hit a match-high .270 in the frame with just two attack errors and 12 kills including a pair of kills from Sydney Black. The 5'6" freshman had not played in the front row since the season's opening weekend but came up big when the team needed her most.
 
Senior captain Haley Kool would not go down without a fight, either, in what could have been her final match. After collecting four kills in the momentum-changing fourth set, Kool led a stellar defensive performance by the Pioneers in an intense fifth set. After falling behind 3-0 and taking a timeout, Malone answered back by winning the next five points, including two blocks by Kool and a kill by Meckstroth.
 
In what was becoming a classic in the making, Kentucky Wesleyan regained the lead with three straight points to go ahead 6-5. Still battling, the Pioneers rattled off four consecutive blocks to go ahead 9-6. During a series of kills and attack errors, Malone maintained at least a two-point advantage throughout the set. A Panthers' ball-handling error near the end of the set gave the Pioneers a 14-11 lead and three match points to earn the victory. Malone would need just one as Sydney Black closed out the match with a thunderous attack that deflected off a defender and fell harmlessly to the ground to give the Pioneers the much-deserved win.
 
Malone finished the match with 40 kills in the five sets.  Veronica Gehring led Malone with 12 kills while Mallory Adams added seven and Haley Kool added six. Black finished the match with four kills in the last two sets to go along with a pair of service aces. Setter Cathryn Miller collected 30 of Malone's 38 assists.
 
The Pioneer defense, particularly the blocking unit, was the story on Thursday night. The Pioneers posted a season-high 19 total blocks, including six in the decisive fifth set. Mallory Adams tied a career-high she just set last weekend with 10 blocks. Kool contributed eight blocks while Miller set a new career-high with seven and Hannah Meckstroth tied her career-mark with six. Senior libero Lynsey Trusty once again led the Malone back row with 25 digs. Miller tied a season-high with 13 digs while Sydney Black totaled 11. Adams just missed a double-double, finishing with nine digs.
 
The Pioneers will have to regroup quickly as they take on #1 seed Cedarville (24-8, 9-1 G-MAC) on Friday night. Cedarville swept Malone in the only previous meeting between the two teams this season.


The Pioneers celebrate after Sydney Black's kill clinched the five-set victory.