ANGOLA, Ind. - It turned out to be a tougher match than the Trine University volleyball team had anticipated as they defeated MIAA opponent Albion College 3-0 (25-13, 25-23, 25-18). The Thunder improve their record to 5-1 overall on the season and remain perfect at 2-0 in the conference.
The opening set saw the Thunder run away with the game after dropping the opening point. Trine scored the next four points and never looked back in the set as they allowed Albion to score consecutive points just once.
The second set wasn’t nearly as easy for the Thunder as the Britons hung close the entire time. Trine took an early 5-2 lead but Albion quickly gained the lead after four straight points at 6-5. The two teams battled it out throughout a set that saw 11 tie scores and five lead changes. With the score tied at 17, the Thunder would tally five straight points, capped off by back-to-back aces from freshman Taylor Rabel (Muncie, Ind./Muncie Central). Albion would mount a comeback, rallying to within one at 24-23. Senior Betsy Irwin (Athens, Ohio /Alexander) would not allow the Britons to tie the set again as she put down the final point with an exclamation mark.
The final set saw the Thunder jump out to an early 3-0 lead, and refused to allow Albion to get into the game. Trine led 4-3, but from there quickly built a six points lead. The Thunder would put the game away late as they scored seven of 10 points late to take a nine point lead and eventually the match.
Rabel earned her first collegiate double-double leading the Thunder with a game-high 13 kills while getting 10 digs. Rabel also hit an astounding game-high .435 from the floor. Irwin finishing the night with nine kills while fellow senior Sarah Radekin (Athens, Ohio /Alexander) led Trine with a game-high 24 assists. Freshman Lauren Verkamp (Franklin, Ind./Franklin Community) led the Thunder with a match-high three services aces to go along with seven kills.
Defensively for the Thunder, junior Darcy Crabtree (Muncie, Ind./Wes-Del) finished the night with a game-high 13 digs.
Trine finished all three sets with double-digit kills to close out the game with 41 total compared to just 21 for the Britons. For the match the Thunder hit .222 while Albion managed to hit just .073 from the floor.
Trine will go right back to work as they travel to Adrian College for another MIAA match-up as they will also face Bluffton College in the tri-match beginning at 11:00 a.m.