CEDARVILLE, Ohio -- The Malone University volleyball program traveled to Cedarville University on Friday night for a Great Midwest Athletic Conference match against the Yellow Jackets. 

The Pioneers (1-1, 1-1 G-MAC) received another strong performance from Anna Mallette, but the Yellow Jacket (1-1, 1-1 G-MAC) attack proved too tough to overcome. Cedarville was able to hold off several Malone comeback attempts to pick up the three-set win.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
Midway through the opening set Malone scored six consecutive points to erase a two-point Cedarville lead. In that run the Pioneer defense forced a pair of Yellow Jacket errors. Offensively, Mallete and Anna Hopple also had kills to help give Malone a 12-8 lead. 

The Pioneers continued to lead over the next several points, until Cedarville fought back to take an 18-17 advantage. Unfortunately Malone was never able to recover. 

The Yellow Jackets went ahead by as many as four points (24-20), and although the Pioneers made things interesting by scoring three straight points, Cedarville ultimately held on for the opening set 25-23 win. 

The second set was just as tightly contested early on until several multi-point runs from the Yellow Jackets. Their largest lead of the set came at 19-13.

Again the Pioneers made a comeback, getting to within 20-16 on a pair of Cedarville errors. Unfortunately the Jackets recovered to secure the 25-17 win and take a 2-0 advantage in the match.

Abbie Swaino opened up the third set with a service ace to put Malone on top, but several possessions later it was Cedarville who held an 11-6 lead. The Yellow Jackets appeared poised to put the Pioneers away, but the Malone offense caught fire. Three kills from Mallete, a kill from Kristen Hankins and a Jacket attacking error quickly had the scored tied at 11-11.

The two teams remained within one point of each other until Cedarville came up with a six-point run of their own to grab a 19-13 advantage that they never lost. Malone got as close as 20-19, but the Yellow Jackets were able to hang on in the end to clinch the match with a 25-21 win. 

PIONEER POINTS

• Sophomore Anna Mallette had another outstanding individual performance, finishing with a team-high 14 kills. That mark ties her career-high set last season in a match against Notre Dame College.

• Cierra Gurney posted another six kill match for the Pioneers, while Kristen Hankins put down the lone Malone block of the match. 

• Defensively, Mallette and Gurney led the way with 15 and 12 digs respectively. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Malone will play their home opener next weekend. The Pioneers host Hillsdale College on Friday in what will be the first of seven consecutive scheduled home matches.