The Malone University volleyball team gave NCAA DII #11 Hillsdale College all it could handle in a Great Midwest Athletic Conference contest Saturday afternoon, but ultimately lost in four sets 22-25, 25-20, 20-25, 19-25. The Pioneers fell to 9-20 on the season and 4-6 in league play. Malone, which still remains in the hunt for a postseason berth, concludes the regular season with two matches next weekend.
 
Recap
The Pioneers played close all afternoon against the Chargers (21-3, 10-0 G-MAC), going blow-for-blow with the Midwest Region heavyweights for much of the match. Malone saw itself down by just one point, 22-21, late in the opening set, but the Chargers won three of the final four points to grab a 1-0 advantage.
 
Malone fought back to earn a 25-20 victory over the nationally-ranked Chargers in the second set. The Pioneers separated with a 5-1 run highlighted by an Abbie Swaino kill midway through the set and then ended the frame on a 5-1 run featuring kills from Anna Mallette and Brooklyn Sullivan and an ace by Abby Hasebein.
 
Hillsdale regained the advantage in the third set and then powered to victory in the fourth. Malone led the final set 19-16, but the Chargers won nine straight points to secure the match.
 
Freshman right side hitter Kayla Jarosz led the Pioneer attack with 13 kills and a .300 hitting percentage. Faith Lau totaled 10 kills, Rachel Santos record nine kills, and middle hitters Brooklyn Sullivan and Hannah Eliason provided seven kills apiece.
 
Elizabeth Selleny paced the two setters with 24 assists and eight digs as Abbie Swaino contributed 17 assists and 10 digs to earn her second straight double-double. Sydney Black led Malone with 17 digs in the back row, Lau followed with 15.
 
For Hillsdale, G-MAC Player of the Year frontrunner Allyssa Van Wienen registered a match-high 16 kills on a .556 attacking percentage.
 
Up Next
Malone closes out the regular season with road matches at Cedarville and Tiffin next Friday and Saturday.