CANTON, Ohio -- On Monday night, the Malone University volleyball program played their final scheduled home regular-season match of the 2021 season. The Pioneers welcomed the Trojans of Trevecca Nazarene University to Osborne Hall.

Malone (2-6, 2-6 G-MAC) took the first set, but was unable to sustain the momentum eventually falling to the Trojans (2-5, 2-5 G-MAC) in four sets, 25-18,15-25, 14-25, 29-27.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The Pioneers came out on fire in set one scoring the first three points of the match on kills by Anna Mallette, Elizabeth Selleny, and Brooklyn Sullivan.

The Trojans fought back, making the score 8-7 in favor of Malone before a huge Pioneer run started to put the set away. Mallette put down three more kills, the defense forced an attack error and Ri'Gyn Humes scored a service ace to push Malone's lead out to 14-7.

The Pioneers never led by less than four points for the remainder of the set. Malone scored the final two points of the set on a Lexi Cochran kill and a TNU error to polish off a 25-18 win, and take a 1-0 advantage in the match. 

Unfortunately the Trojans regrouped and responded in a big way in the second set with a 25-15 win. A 6-0 Trevecca run midway through the set proved to be too much for the Pioneers to overcome. 

Unfortunately for the home team, the third set played out much the same. The Trojans went ahead 9-2 early, and never looked back on their way to a 25-14 set three win and a 2-1 advantage in the match. 

The momentum started to shift back Malone's way in the fourth. The Pioneers broke a 9-9 tie with five straight points, including two more kills by Mallete, to take a 14-9 advantage. 

Malone was up 16-11, but TNU responded with seven unanswered points of their own to recapture an 18-16 lead. The match was all but over late with the Trojans lead 24-21, but the Pioneers had one last run.

Brooklyn Sullivan put down a kill, TNU made an attack error, and Abbie Swaino scored an ace to tie things up at 24-24. Malone then went ahead 25-24 on another Trojan error.

Unfortunately the Pioneers were unable to complete the late comeback as Trevecca was able to close out the match with a 29-27 set three win. 

PIONEER POINTS

• Anna Mallette had a career night offensively. The sophomore put down a career-high 16 kills, and also had one ace and 1.5 blocks to finish with 18.5 points.

• Brooklyn Sullivan also had her best offensive performance of the season. She finished second on the team with a season-high nine kills to go along with three block assists.

• Senior Abbie Swaino led Malone with 18 assists. She also had a pair of service aces.

• Defensively Elizabeth Selleny led the way with 18 digs. As a team Malone put down four total blocks. 

WHAT'S NEXT?
Malone will hit the road for the first time since their season-opening win at Ohio Valley back on January 19. The Pioneers won't have to travel far however. Malone will make the 4.4 mile drive to Walsh University on Friday night. The match is scheduled to begin at 7:00 p.m.