MARIETTA, Ohio - The Trine University volleyball team wrapped up their weekend stay at the Marietta College Pioneer Classic with a 3-1 record to earn a three-way tie at the top of the standings with Hiram College and Marietta. The Thunder return home with an 11-2 record on the year.

Trine’s only loss came in their first match of the tournament to Hiram, falling 3-1 (25-15, 22-25, 25-22, 35-33). The fourth set was the longest rally for the Thunder since the NCAA moved to 25 point sets and was the longest set since 2006. In the match sophomore Carly Searles (Levering, Mich./Petoskey) earned her second triple-double of the season, finishing with 19 assists, 14 kills and 11 digs. It was the first-ever meeting between the two teams.

For the second straight game, the Thunder tackled a team they had never faced before as game two saw Trine win a five set thriller over host Marietta 3-2 (26-24, 23-25, 25-16, 19-25, 15-13). Trine battled back several times in the match, the biggest of which came in the final set. After falling behind late at 13-9, the Thunder fought back scoring five consecutive points to take the match. Senior Betsy Irwin (Athens, Ohio /Alexander) had her best game of the season as she had team season-highs in hitting percentage (.459), kills (21) and blocks (11). The 11 blocks by Irwin were the most by a Trine player since Melia Miller also knocked down 11 on October 13, 2007 against Manchester.

The second day saw Trine sweep their only match of the weekend, defeating Ohio Wesleyan 3-0 (25-22, 25-12, 25-22). The 12 points the Thunder allowed in the second set is the fewest they have allowed this season. The Thunder have won all three meetings against the Battling Bishops.

The final match of the tournament for the Thunder saw them drop the opening set to Defiance before rallying to win 3-1 (25-15, 20-25, 25-17, 26-24). It was the first time the two teams have met since 2003 and snapped Trine’s five game losing streak to the Yellow Jackets.

“We learned some very important things about our team this weekend,” head coach Jamie Wozniak said. “Everyone had their moments of brilliance, when one person was off, the others stepped up. We feel like we have defined our game and who we are as a team at this tournament. We kept coming back from being down 5-7 points at the end matches to win, we can't be counted out.”

Irwin was named to the All-Tournament team as she finished the weekend with a team-high 60 kills and a .331 hitting percentage. Irwin also led the Thunder with 23 blocks and seven service aces. Searles was just two kills away from averaging a triple-double for the tournament, finishing with 58 digs, 53 assists and 38 kills and was second on the team with 10 blocks. Freshman Taylor Rabel (Muncie, Ind./Muncie Central) wrapped up the tournament second on the team with 39 kills to go along with 37 digs. Senior Sarah Radekin (Athens, Ohio /Alexander) set the strong Thunder offense with 114 assists for the weekend.

On the defensive side of the ball, junior Darcy Crabtree (Muncie, Ind./Wes-Del) led Trine with 59 digs and was second with five aces. Freshman Lauren Verkamp (Franklin, Ind./Franklin Community) finished the four games with 51 digs, 27 kills and nine blocks.

The Thunder will have a busy week, playing three conference matches beginning with a road game at Olivet College on September 18 at 6:30 p.m.