The Malone University volleyball team dropped to 14-8 on the season and 8-3 in the Great­­ Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) after suffering a four-set defeat to the University of Findlay Friday night in Osborne Hall. The Pioneers stood toe-to-toe with the first-place Oilers, who were among the teams listed as receiving votes in the latest AVCA Division II poll, for much of the match, but the visitors prevailed 29-27, 26-28, 25-17, 25-23.
 
Recap
In a tightly-contested first set that featured 16 ties and seven lead changes, neither team would lead by more than three points. The Pioneers saw themselves down 22-19, but they rallied for a 4-0 run to take a 23-22 lead. Following a kill by All-American setter Hailee Olson, Malone answered with a Veronica Gehring kill that gave the Pioneers set point. The Oilers responded with back-to-back kills before a service error tied it at 25-25. A Cathryn Miller service ace gave Malone another set point up 26-25, but the Pioneers were denied as Findlay won four of the next five points to go ahead 1-0.
 
The second frame was more of the same as the seesaw set saw 13 ties and four more lead changes.  Malone trailed 20-15 late in the set but they battled once again, tying it up at 21-all with a 6-1 run that included six Findlay errors. The two teams then tied at every point from 22 through 26. Malone held off two Findlay set points to win four of the final five and tie the match up at a set apiece.
 
In the third set, Malone led 8-7 early on, but a 13-5 run gave Findlay the momentum it needed to eventually claim the set. The competitive fourth set saw 11 more ties and six lead changes; the final lead change turned a 23-22 Malone advantage into a 25-23 win for the Oilers. Malone led by as many as four points midway through the period but the Oiler attack found a way to eke out a victory.
 
Findlay collected 20 more kills than Malone, 68-48, but was also guilty of 15 more attack errors, 33-18. The Pioneers collected 12 blocks in the match, including nine in the first two sets.
 
Mallory Adams led the Malone defense with seven blocks and 15 digs. Maggie Hamrock totaled a team-high 24 digs. Cathryn Miller chipped in with 12 digs and four blocks. Hannah Eliason added four blocks of her own. Senior defensive specialist Julia Marino matched a career-high with 11 digs.
 
Eliason led the Malone attack with a career-high 12 kills on just 19 attacks (.526 attacking percentage). Adams, Veronica Gehring, and Faith Lau each recorded nine kills while Rachel Santos added eight to the Pioneers' balanced attack. Miller finished with a season-high 43 assists in the lengthy match.
 
Hailee Olson collected 57 assists for the Oilers. Amanda Winner, the G-MAC leader in kills, registered a match-high 27 kills on 58 attacks. Molly Hammersmith added 18 kills.
 
Up Next
Malone will face another difficult test on Saturday when it hosts Hillsdale at 2:00 pm. The Chargers come into the match having won 12 straight.