ANGOLA, IND. -- The Trine University volleyball team wrapped-up its regular-season home schedule with a straight-set victory against Kalamazoo (Mich.) College, 3-0, in a Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association match at Hershey Hall on senior night.
The first set was a see-saw battle with neither team leading by more than two points for the majority of the set. Kalamazoo (6-18, 3-12 MIAA) gained the advantage late with a 24-23 margin, but a kill by Trine (13-12, 8-7 MIAA) freshman Emma Gaff (Hamilton, Ind./Hamilton) evened the game at 24-24. The set then ended with back-to-back Kalamazoo errors as part of a three-point mini run for Trine as the Thunder captured game one by the final of, 26-24.
The Thunder quickly jumped out to a 6-2 lead following a kill by freshman Madison Munger (Indianapolis, Ind./Franklin Central) to begin the second set. Trine maintained the advantage for the majority of the set until a 5-1 Kalamazoo run evened the game at 20-20. Trine rallied to lead, 23-21, and put the game away on another kill by Munger as the Thunder posted a 25-22 win in the second frame and took a commanding 2-0 match lead.
The third set saw the Trine offense take control and build a 10-3 advantage early. Trine found itself in the drivers seat for most of the set, but the Hornets looked to rally and battled back to within four points on several occassions down the stretch that included a 22-18 deficit. But back-to-back kills by Munger and Gaff, followed by a service ace by Munger, sealed the victory for the Thunder, 25-18, and the overall match win, 3-0.
Trine had two players in double figures in kills with Gaff leading the way at 14. Munger was the other Thunder player in double-digits with 10 kills. Setting up the offense was the duo of senior Samantha Ihrie (Kendallville, Ind./East Noble) and junior Raven Hood (Monroe, Mich./Airport). Ihrie recorded a team-high 18 assists and Hood added 12 assists. The Thunder offense also tallied eight service aces on the night with freshmen Sarah Toles (Kendallville, Ind./East Noble) and Lindsey DeCamp (New Haven, Ind./New Haven) both tallying two aces individually.
Defensively, Toles led the Thunder with four total blocks (one solo and three assists). Munger led the team in digs with 12, followed by DeCamp with eight and both Ihrie Hood chipped in with seven digs.
Trine will conclude the regular season tomorrow (Saturday, Oct. 28) when it travels to Grand Rapids, Mich. for a matchup against No. 4 nationally-ranked Calvin College. The match is set to begin at 1 p.m.
