Needing a win in the worst way, the Malone University volleyball team traveled to Cedarville University on Friday and earned an impressive three-set sweep of the Yellow Jackets in a Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) showdown. Malone, which faced being all but eliminated from postseason contention with a loss, played one its best matches of the year to come away with the 25-20, 25-18, 25-17 victory.
 
With one match remaining in the regular season, Malone improved to 10-20 overall and 5-6 in the G-MAC while the Yellow Jackets dropped to 15-10, 7-4 in G-MAC play. The Pioneers head into Saturday's match against Tiffin needing either a win over the Dragons OR a loss by Lake Erie to clinch a spot in the postseason.
 
Recap
Malone began the match on a 7-2 run, which featured five kills and a block, before Cedarville battled back to gain a 12-11 advantage. The Pioneers answered with a 6-1 run, pulled away later with another 6-1 run, and then put the set away on a powerful kill by freshman Anna Mallette.
 
The Pioneers never trailed in the second set, and broke an 8-8 deadlock with a 10-3 rally highlighted by a pair of kills from Brooklyn Sullivan. Sullivan later clinched the set for the Pioneers with a kill off an assist from Elizabeth Selleny assist as Malone went into the third set up by two.
 
The final set played much like the first two as Malone continued its efficient offensive attack and tenacious defensive effort. The Pioneers used a 10-4 run to separate midway through the frame and secured the victory with a match-ending 4-0 run which featured a kill and an ace from senior middle hitter Hannah Eliason.
 
Eliason, who finished with three kills and a pair of aces, matched a season-high with seven total blocks (one solo, six assisted) in an outstanding defensive performance. As a team, Malone finished with a season-high 10 blocks in just three sets. The Pioneers entered the match ranked last in the G-MAC in blocks per set.
 
Senior outside hitter Faith Lau was credited with a career-high five blocks to go along with eight kills and seven digs. Senior Sydney Black paced the back row with 14 digs in addition to a pair of aces in the service game.
 
Freshmen Kayla Jarosz (nine) and Anna Mallette (eight) combined for 17 kills while junior Brooklyn Sullivan added six kills on just nine swings. Junior setter Elizabeth Selleny led the team with 20 assists while classmate Abbie Swaino chipped in 14 assists and eight digs.
 
The three-set victory was just the third all season for the Pioneers and the first on the road.
 
Up Next
Malone closes out the regular season at Tiffin on Saturday in a 12pm G-MAC bout.