CANTON, Ohio - The Malone University volleyball team lost to the Walsh University Cavaliers in four sets on Saturday night. The Pioneers fall to 3-8 on the season while the Cavaliers improve to 6-4. In the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC), Malone drops to 1-3 and Walsh stays undefeated at 3-0.
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The first set was close as the Pioneers and Cavaliers traded points after almost each serve. The set came down to an attack error from Walsh and
Jaymes Gilbert had an ace to give the Pioneers a 24-22 lead, followed up by another attack error by the Cavaliers to give Malone the first set.Â
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Walsh took control in the second period with an early 4-0 lead. The Pioneers couldn't find its pace as the Cavaliers took set two, 25-17. Malone finished the second with six kills and six errors as Walsh finished at 11 kills and eight errors.Â
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The Pioneers showed some life early in the third set with points from
Marissa Smith, but they quickly fell behind the Cavaliers at 12-5. Walsh finished the set 25-15 over Malone with 12 kills and just two errors. The Pioneers struggled in set three after 11 hitting errors.
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Malone changed the tempo at the beginning of the fourth set with a 3-1 lead with kills by
Kassidy Gorsuch, Gilbert, and an ace by
Madalyn Coblentz. Walsh quickly closed the gap and took the lead by six points to put Malone behind 18-12. The Pioneers ended up trailing until the end with the Cavaliers winning the series with a 25-19 win in set four.Â
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Brianne Salinas led Malone's offense with nine kills followed by James (8), Smith (6), and Gorsuch (6). Gilbert hit .467 and Salinas .320 for the match.
Helania Edgar (17) and
Kelsey Williams (15) combined for 32 out 37 assists for the Pioneers. Four Pioneers were in double figures in dig totals, led by
Jaclyn Jundzilo with 17. Edgar (13), Coblentz (11) and Smith (10) were the other back row standouts.
The Malone University volleyball team will travel for its next game as they take on the California University of Pennsylvania Vulcans on September 22. First serve is at 6:00 P.M.
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