ANGOLA, Ind. -- The Trine University women's volleyball team came fell behind by two sets but came back to defeat Adrian College 3-2 in their Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) opener.
The first set saw the Bulldogs pull away to a 15-7 lead and then stave off a comeback attempt to win 25-20. The second set was close from start to finish but Adrian converted their lone set-point opportunity to take the set 25-23.
The Thunder pulled away in the third set to a score 20-14. The Bulldogs would go on a six-point rally and tie the contest at 20, but Trine took five of the last six points to win 25-21. The Thunder would take the fourth set 25-19 after taking the lead at 8-7 and never relinquishing it.
In the final deciding set Trine came out firing on all cylinders for the first time in the match taking the first seven points of the contest and then finishing off the match with a 15-3 victory.
The Thunder won on the strength of their block as they finished the contest with 26 total blocks. Individually freshman Breanna Small (Indianapolis, Ind. / Beech Grove) led the way for Trine finishing the contest with nine total blocks including two solo blocks. Junior Sarah Toles (Kendallville, Ind. / East Noble) came in second on the team with five total blocks.
Small added to her impressive blocking day by finishing tied for second on the team with 10 kills with a .179 hitting percentage. Junior Madison Munger (Indianapolis, Ind. / Franklin Central) led the way for the Thunder with 13 kills in the contest.
Junior Jacqueline Baughman (Lake Orion, Mich. / Lutheran Northwest) led the team with 34 assists and classmate Lindsey DeCamp (New Haven, Ind. / New Haven) led the team with 23 digs.
The Thunder also finished the contest with 12 aces. Toles led the way with four, while Decamp and freshman Paris Outwater (Bronson, Mich. / Bronson) finished with three apiece.
Trine improves to 9-5 overall and 1-0 in the MIAA following the victory. They will travel to face Olivet College on Friday, Sept. 27. Their second MIAA contest is scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m.