CANTON, Ohio – In the penultimate match of the regular season, the Malone University volleyball team lost 3-0 to Northwood University. The Timberwolves pulled away in the early two sets, but in the third the Pioneers were ahead most of the period, but ultimately fell in the closing stages.
 
The defense was key to Malone sticking around. Senior Macy McCauley had 16 digs while sophomore Brianne Salinas was involved in six blocks. The team had eight blocks in total.
 
In set one, the Pioneers were on the wrong end of a few Northwood scoring runs and trailed 19-12 after a pair of aces by the Timberwolves. Northwood was able to put away Malone in the set by a score of 25-18.
 
After a negative hitting percentage in the first set, the Pioneers had nine kills and three errors in the second set with a .222 hitting percentage, but it was not enough to outduel the Timberwolves with 19 kills. Northwood took a 10-3 lead and did not look back from there in the 25-17 victory.
 
The home team looked different in set three and commanded the period from the beginning. A variety of players contributed with kills, including sophomore Annika Nichols, senior Grace Rosko, freshman Emma Weirich and sophomore Jaymes Gilbert. Malone led by as many as six at 13-7, but Northwood would slowly chip away. A kill by Weirich but the Pioneers just two points from taking the third at 23-21, but the final four points in the set and match were for the Timberwolves, 25-23.
 
Nichols paced the offense with eight kills as Malone falls to 5-23 on the year and 2-13 in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) play. Northwood, who has clinched their spot in the G-MAC Championship, is 20-7 and 11-3 inside the league.
 
The season ends for the Pioneers at home on Saturday, November 16 at 1:00 P.M. versus Hillsdale College.