WEST LIBERTY, W.Va. -- The Malone University volleyball team went on the road Tuesday night for a non-conference match at West Liberty University. 

The Pioneers (4-5) and Hilltoppers (7-4) battled for four sets, but ultimately it was the home team that came out on top by a final score of 3-1, with set scores of 29-27, 25-21, 25-13, 25-13.

MOMENTS THAT MATTERED
The first set was back and forth, with neither team leading by more than four points for most of the set.

Malone's largest lead was 15-11 after a quick 3-0 run was capped off with a kill by Molly Bullion. The Pioneers went up 19-15 on a kill by Anna Mallette, but the Hilltoppers battled back. 

The set was tied at 24-24, forcing the set into extra points. Ri'Gyn Humes put down a block to put Malone up 26-25. WLU answered right back, but a kill from Macy McCauley made it 27-26 in favor of the Pioneers.

Unfortunately, West Liberty scored the next three points unanswered to take set one 29-27. 

Malone found themselves with an 18-12 lead midway through the second set before a 9-1 run by the Hilltoppers tied the set at 19-19. 

The Pioneers rallied back however, scoring four out of the last five points in the set to even the match at 1-1. 

West Liberty dominated the final two sets, winning both by identical scores of 25-13 to pick up a 3-1 match win.

PIONEER POINTS

• Malone finished with 46 kills as a team, their second highest total of the season.
• Gabby Pelfrey and Molly Bullion each had 17 assists to lead the Pioneers.
• Anna Mallette (12) and Macy McCauley (10) both topped the double-digit kill mark. Meanwhile McCauley led the team with 22 digs to finish with her second double-double of the year.
• Kristen Hankins put down four total blocks to push her team-leading total out to 29 on the season.

WHAT'S NEXT?
Malone opens Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play on Friday with a trip to Hillsdale College. The Chargers are ranked No. 18 in the most recent AVCA NCAA Division II Top-25 Poll.

The match is set to begin at 7:00 p.m.