PEPPER PIKE, Ohio – The Malone University volleyball team was able to defeat the Ursuline College Arrows on Tuesday evening in Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) competition. The victory makes Malone 3-9 overall and 2-2 in conference action. The Arrows remain winless at 0-10 and 0-5 in the G-MAC.
 
In set one, the Pioneers fell behind early but stormed back to take the period by a score of 25-17. Ursuline claimed an 8-4 lead from the jump, but a block by Tori Dawson and Hailey Conrad helped to flip momentum in the match. Marissa Smith had five kills and Jaymes Gilbert four in a set where Malone hit .438 in total with 16 kills on 32 attempts.
 
A 14-9 advantage for the Pioneers in set two forced a timeout from the Arrows with their backs against the wall. Several kills by Brianne Salinas in the second saw the Pioneers maintain the lead. Malone claimed set two by the same score of 25-17 after stringing together three consecutive points to end it on kills by Gilbert and Laiken Wallick and a solo block from Salinas.
 
Helaina Edgar started the third set on the right foot with a service ace for the first point. Conrad had a pair of solo blocks to force an Ursuline timeout at 13-5. The Arrows creeped back into it and tied the match at 19-19 in the late stages of the third. Momentum swung fully the way of the home side for Ursuline to take the third and extend the match, 25-23.
 
The Arrows carried that energy into the fourth set and forced Head Coach Rafael Gonzalez to utilize a timeout trailing 9-5. The Pioneers got back to even at 11-11, but once more Ursuline took the lead. The Arrows went on to dominate the fourth to draw even, 25-14.
 
The winner-take-all fifth set saw Malone take the early edge 6-2 and an ace by Gilbert forced a timeout by Ursuline. The lead eventually grew to 8-2 and the Pioneers held off one final charge by the Arrows to secure the set and match win, 15-11. Gilbert finished the match off with a solo block and the team had four aces in the final set.
 
The Pioneers hit for a season-high percentage of .222 to secure their third win of the year. Smith led the charge with 14 kills. Salinas was in double figures as well with 11 while Gilbert and Wallick had nine each. Gilbert had a career-high 17 digs and four different student-athletes had ten or more. Conrad dug out a career-high 15 as well as Madalyn Coblentz with 13 and Edgar with 10. Conrad added five blocks as well (three solo).
 
The next match for Malone will be alumni recognition and 50 year celebration on Saturday, October 4 versus Ashland University. First serve is scheduled for 1:00 P.M.