The Malone University volleyball team suffered a four-set setback to visiting Hillsdale College Saturday afternoon by the final scores of 19-25, 13-25, 25-22, 17-25. With the loss, the Pioneers fell to 14-9 on the season and 8-4 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Malone also dropped into a tie for second place in G-MAC East Division.
 
Recap
Malone held a 9-8 lead in the early moments of the first set, but Hillsdale pulled away on a 10-2 run to take an 18-11 edge. The Pioneers closed to within three points, 22-19, later in the frame before three straight kills by Hillsdale's Allyssa Van Wienen gave the visitors the set.
 
The Chargers showed why they were among the teams receiving votes in the lastest AVCA Divison II volleyball poll in the second set as they hit .464 en route to the 25-13 victory, Hillsdale, who entered the week ranked 10th in the nation in hitting percentage, landed 15 kills compared to just two errors as they took a two-to-nothing lead over the Pioneers.
 
Malone bounced back after the intermission, racing out to a 9-3 lead in the third set. The Chargers would eventually close the gap and tie the set at 19-19 before head coach Tanya Hockman took a timeout. Following the stoppage, Malone responded with back-to-back kills from Veronica Gehring and Hannah Eliason. Another kill by Rachel Santos and two Hillsdale attack errors allowed Malone to force a fourth.
 
In decisive fourth set, the Chargers overcame a three-point Malone advantage before rolling to their 13th straight victory. Hillsdale, now 20-3 on the year and 10-2 in the G-MAC, executed 17 kills in final frame and 60 total in the match. Malone, meanwhile, recorded just 37 kills. Hillsdale also served up 10 aces, compared to Malone's three, and out-dug the Pioneers 88-72.
 
Maggie Hamrock recorded a team-high 20 digs to lead the Malone defense. Cathryn Miller collected 12 digs while Sydney Black finished with 10. Mallory Adams added eight digs and a match-high five blocks.
 
Adams led the Malone attack with 10 kills. Georgia Kiko collected eight, Rachel Santos seven, Hannah Eliason six, and Veronica Gehring five. Miller handed out 32 assists. Defensive specialist Julia Marino had all three of Malone's service aces.
 
Hillsdale libero Taylor Wiese had three aces and a match-high 27 digs. Allyssa Van Wienen and Kara Vyletel led the Chargers with 14 kills each.
 
Up Next
Malone will return to G-MAC East Division play this Thursday, October 26th in a rematch with Walsh University in North Canton.