CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. – In the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) opening match, the Malone University volleyball team was defeated by Thomas More University 3-1 on Friday. The loss in the seventh straight for the program as they fall to 2-8 overall and 0-1 inside the league. The Saints are now 6-4 overall and have won their first two matches in conference play.
 
The Pioneers hit .435 in the first set and .161 for the match, while Thomas More had a mark of .265. The teams were even in errors, but the Saints had 17 more kills (60-43).
 
Malone took an early lead at 6-1 with Kassidy Gorsuch recording a pair of kills. A 9-1 scoring run later on pushed the lead to 15-6. Jaymes Gilbert led the offense in the closing points of the first set as the Pioneers would go up 1-0 with a 25-15 victory.
 
Emma Weirich paced the team in set two and had a run of three kills out of four points to claim a 20-17 lead. Six of the next seven points were awarded to Thomas More to put them back in front and the home team would go on to take the set, 26-24. A block by Grace Rosko and Brianne Salinas tied the second at 24-24, but the Saints secured the final two points needed for the win.
 
Malone found some momentum behind a flurry of Thomas More errors and a few aces by Gabby Pelfrey early in the third, but the opponents would slowly pull away. The Saints won set three by a mark of 25-21.
 
The fourth set was lopsided in favor of Thomas More as they went on to claim the set 25-15 and the match. 15 kills and just six errors for the Saints helped to bury the Pioneers in the final set.
 
Gilbert was the offensive leader with 10 kills and Pelfrey dished out 21 assists and had three of the team's eight aces. Defensively, Macy McCauley dug out 22 opposing attacks and Salinas had five blocks (one solo).
 
The road trip continues on Saturday, September 21 at Kentucky Wesleyan College beginning at 11:00 A.M. CST.