PAINESVILLE, Ohio – The Malone University volleyball team won a set on Saturday, but was unable to top Lake Erie College. The final score was 3-1. The Pioneers fall to 5-18 overall and 2-8 inside the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) and the Storm improve to 7-16 and 4-7 in league play.
 
In a match that featured much back-and-forth, senior Macy McCauley recorded a career-high 40 digs in the match. Overall, the team had 81 on the afternoon.
 
Lake Erie would take control early in set one at 14-4 and cruise to a 25-16 set one victory. Senior Grace Rosko was credited with four kills in the first.
 
Malone fell behind 2-0 thanks to a 25-20 loss that featured the best hitting performance of the match for the Storm. They had 18 kills and just three errors (.405 hitting percentage).
 
The third set was the lone win for the Pioneers at 26-24. A block by sophomore Brianne Salinas and freshman Marissa Smith put Malone ahead 7-1, but Lake Erie battled back to draw even. The lead changed hands several times throughout the period. With the score tied at 24, the Pioneers secured the final two points needed for the win.
 
Despite the triumph in the third set, Malone would fall in set four, 25-20. A 7-0 run towards the beginning of the fourth was enough of a cushion to claim the win in both the set and the match. The Pioneers tied a match-high with 13 kills in the set.
 
Offensively, freshman Helaina Edgar distributed 20 assists and Salinas led the way with 10 kills. Sophomore Jaymes Gilbert served three aces.
 
Next weekend, Malone continues their road trip starting with the University of Findlay on Friday, November 1 at 7:00 P.M.