The Malone University volleyball team picked up a much-needed victory over visiting Ursuline College Friday night in a battle of Northeast Ohio foes, outdueling the Arrows 23-25, 25-21, 25-21, 25-17 in four sets. The Pioneers snapped an eight-match losing streak and improved to 7-16 on the season and 2-3 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference. Ursuline, meanwhile, dropped to 2-17 overall and 1-5 in conference play.
 
Recap
In a slow-moving first set which featured 13 ties, Malone broke a 19-19 deadlock with a 4-0 run, but the Arrows quickly turned a 23-19 deficit into a 25-23 victory on the strength of a set-clinching 6-0 rally.
 
After dropping its tenth straight point to fall behind 4-0 to start the second set, Malone picked up the energy in front of its home crowd. Tied 16-16 later in the frame, the Pioneers pulled away from the Arrows with 5-0 run highlighted by three services aces from junior middle hitter Brooklyn Sullivan. Malone never trailed again for the duration of the match.
 
The Pioneers opened up an 8-3 lead during a wire-to-wire third-set victory that included four kills each from Faith Lau, Anna Mallette, and Kayla Jarosz.  In the final set, the two squads were tied at 4-4 before Malone broke away for good with a 6-1 run capped by a kill from Lau.
 
Lau finished with a team-high 12 kills and 15 digs in all-around effort. Anna Mallette produced 12 kills and a season-best .367 attacking percentage. Kayla Jarosz added 10 total kills to go along with eight digs. Rachel Santos contributed eight kills and Cierra Gurney added five.
 
Both Pioneer setters achieved double-doubles in the victory. Elizabeth Selleny collected 25 assists and 13 digs and tallied a season-high three kills. Abbie Swaino registered 16 assists and 10 digs in addition to two kills. Sydney Black and Abby Hasebein each scooped up 12 digs. Brooklyn Sullivan added three blocks up front.
 
Jill Morrow of Ursuline spiked a match-high 14 kills in defeat.
 
Up Next
Malone continues the weekend homestand with a 1:00 pm match against Lake Erie on Saturday afternoon.