The Malone University volleyball team earned its third win in as many days with an exciting 25-13, 19-25, 25-17, 19-25, 15-8 five-set triumph over Alderson Broaddus University Saturday afternoon in the Pioneers' final home match of the season. With the win, the Pioneers improved to 17-11 on the year and 11-5 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Malone will play road matches next weekend at Ursuline and Lake Erie before taking part in the G-MAC Championship Tournament the following week.
 
Recap
Malone controlled the first set from start, opening up a 7-1 lead to begin the match. Alderson Broaddus brought it back to within three points, but a 7-0 Malone run midway through the set put it out of reach before late kills by Brooklyn Sullivan, Veronica Gehring, and Mallory Adams sealed the set.
 
After holding AB to a .000 attacking percentage in the first frame, Malone allowed the Battlers to hit .500 with 18 kills and just three attack errors in the second set. The Pioneers fell behind 12-3 early in the set, and nearly reversed their deficit with a 9-1 run, but the Battlers maintained their lead and eventually claimed the set 25-19.
 
The Pioneers were successful in reversing a big Battler lead in third set, turning an 8-3 deficit into 22-11 lead with 19-3 rally that featured a trio of thunderous Hannah Eliason kills that excited a raucous home crowd. After switching sides in the fourth set, Alderson Broaddus was able to hang on to an early lead this time as the Pioneers, who managed just eight kills in the set, allowed the visitors to force a fifth set.
 
Malone landed 10 kills and gave up just two to AB in a dominant final set, which included a 7-0 run and was capped off with a big swing by middle hitter Mallory Adams. Alderson Broaddus (7-22, 1-15 G-MAC) gave the Pioneers all they could handle, but the resilient Malone squad came away with their third-straight win.
 
Adams tied a team-high with 12 kills to lead the Malone attack. Eliason also finished with 12 kills, on just 21 swings, as she tied a career-high. Faith Lau and Veronica Gehring chipped in with nine and eight kills respectively. Brooklyn Sullivan added six kills to match a season-high set a night earlier. Setters Elizabeth Selleny and Abbie Swaino distributed 17 and 15 assists.
 
Maggie Hamrock, who added a pair service aces, led the Malone defense with 17 digs. The junior libero collected her 1,000th career dig in the fourth set. Lau chipped in with 13 digs while Eliason totaled three blocks.
 
Up Next
The Pioneers will take on Ursuline College next Friday, November 10th at 7:00 pm.