After reaching the postseason for the fourth consecutive season, the Malone University volleyball team will travel to southern Michigan on Tuesday, November 19th to meet Hillsdale College in a Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) Quarterfinal showdown. The #8 seed Pioneers and the #1 seed Chargers are slated to meet at 7:00 pm; the winner advances to face either Kentucky Wesleyan or Cedarville on Friday.
 
In a David versus Goliath matchup, the Pioneers face the two-time defending G-MAC Champion and nationally-ranked #11 Hillsdale, who has won 49 of their last 50 matches against G-MAC opponents. The two squads met just two 10 days ago when Hillsdale prevailed 25-22, 20-25, 25-20, 25-19. Malone's second-set win over Hillsdale was one of just three by a G-MAC opponent this season, giving the Pioneers some optimism headed into their colossal challenge.
 
Match Info
11/19 Malone at Hillsdale – 7:00 pm
Video: https://portal.stretchinternet.com/malone/
Stats: https://www.hillsdalechargers.com/sports/wvball/2019-20/boxscores/20191119_gsrd.xml

Team Comparison (as of 11/18)

Category	Malone	Hillsdale
Record (G-MAC)	10-21 (5-7)	23-3 (12-0)
Attacking. %	.191	.241
Opponent att. %	.199	.120
Kills per set	12.3	13.7
Digs per set	17.2	18.4
Blocks per set	1.26	2.21
Aces per set	1.43	1.63

Malone Notes

• In the loss at Hillsdale earlier this season, freshman right side hitter Kayla Jarosz registered a team-high 13 kills. For the season, Jarosz leads Malone in kills per set (2.67) and attack percentage (.248).
• Senior outside hitter Faith Lau is second on the team in both kills per set (2.24) and digs per set (3.26). She totaled 10 kills and 15 digs in the loss at Hillsdale.
• Senior libero Sydney Black totaled a team-high 17 digs in the match and a has a team-high 541 (4.55 per set) this season. Entering the G-MAC Championship, Black leads the G-MAC in total digs and leads Malone with 40 service aces.
• Senior middle hitter Hannah Eliason ranks ninth in the G-MAC in blocks per set (.77) and leads the team with 70 total blocks on the season.
• Junior setters Elizabeth Selleny (5.39) and Abbie Swaino (4.41) lead the squad in assists and each have 24 aces.
• Middle hitter Brooklyn Sullivan (50 blocks, 144 kills), right side Rachel Santos (212 kills, 49 blocks), outside hitter Anna Mallette (216 kills) and defensive specialist Abby Hasebein (200 digs, 25 aces) have all made significant contributions this season, each playing over 105 sets.
• Malone is coming off of a 1-1 weekend which featured a three-set sweep at Cedarville. The win over the Yellow Jackets proved to be the difference for the Pioneers clinching a postseason berth.
• Malone has been eliminated in the Quarterfinal round in each of its past two postseason appearances. The Pioneers last playoff win came in 2016 vs. Kentucky Wesleyan.
• Malone has never defeated Hillsdale in nine tries since joining NCAA DII.
   

Hillsdale Notes

• The Chargers have won 16 of their last 17 matches, and have won at least one set in all three losses this fall.
• Hillsdale leads the G-MAC in hitting, opponent's hitting, kills, assists, digs, and blocks. The Chargers have also won 36 straight on their own floor.
• Middle hitter Allyssa Van Wienen ranks second in NCAA DII in hitting percentage (.441) and fifth in points per set (4.88). Libero Taylor Wiese is 10th in digs (5.88) and setter Lindsey Mertz is 13th in assists (11.3).