CANTON, Ohio – The Malone University volleyball team bookended the four-match finale of the 2024 Hall of Fame City Challenge on Saturday with matches against Point Park University and Seton Hill University. The Pioneers were able to defeat Point Park in straight sets before falling to the Griffins of Seton Hill in the same fashion. Malone volleyball moves to 2-2 overall on the year.
 
MALONE vs POINT PARK RECAP:
An ace by Mallory Meinen on the opening point of the game sparked a 5-0 run to begin the first. The lead would grow to as much at seven at 9-2, but the opponents were able to draw back to even at 18-18. Kassidy Gorsuch recorded a kill that sparked a run of five points out of six for the home squad and a block by Brianne Salinas capped a 26-24 victory.
 
The offense really started clicking for Malone in the second set with 17 kills and three errors on a .412 hitting percentage. The Pioneers were 14-of-17 on side out opportunities en route to a 25-16 win. Seven digs by Emma Weirich helped set up Salinas and Marissa Smith for four kills each in the set. Malone put the second set out of reach via a 6-0 run to reach set point at 24-15 and Smith threw down a kill to respond to a point by the opposition.
 
The Pioneers went for 17 more kills in the third set to seal the match win at 25-15. On top of a stellar offensive effort, the defense by Macy McCauley on digs prevented Point Park from gaining momentum as she led the team with 22 digs in the match. The opponents were held to 44% on side out chances in the third set (11-of-25) and a .027 hitting percentage.
 
Grace Rosko led the team in kills with 12 in the match, including her 500th career kill. Meinen assisted on 23 of the team's kills and Salinas had three solo blocks. As a team, the Pioneers outscored the Pennsylvania natives 46-31 in kills, 7-1 in aces and 51-45 on digs.
 
MALONE vs SETON HILL RECAP:
In the second match of the day, the undefeated Griffins were able to record a three-set sweep of the Pioneers with 47 kills and a .238 hitting percentage. Seton Hill jumped out to an early lead at 10-4 and did not look back from there. Malone put together a late rally to keep the score close, but it was not enough in a 25-21 defeat.
 
Smith made key plays for the Pioneers in the second set, but a 6-0 run for the Griffins sucked the wind out of the team's sails at 17-9. The result of the most lopsided set of the match ended up 25-16 in the second in favor of Seton Hill.
 
Malone did not go down without a fight in the third set with 11 ties and four lead changes. The momentum of three aces in the third helped fuel the fire for the Pioneers the team was even able to withstand a 6-0 run for Seton Hill to come back to within one at 24-23 with an ace by Smith. A timeout called by the head coach of the Griffins would calm the nerves as the visitors settled in and notched the match-winning point, 25-23.
 
Seton Hill recorded 47 kills compared to 36 for Malone, led by eight each from Smith and Weirich. Gabby Pelfrey had 17 assists in the match to lead the Pioneers. The libero McCauley added 18 digs from the back row.
 
UP NEXT:
Malone leaves home for the first time this season for the Quincy University Hawk Invitational on September 13-14.