ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University women's volleyball team hosted Spalding University inside Hershey Hall on Monday night for the team's annual Pink Out match in support of Breast Cancer Awareness. The Thunder were able to take three sets out of four versus the visiting Golden Eagles to get back in the win column.
Trine holds a record of 9-8 overall following the non-conference victory. Spalding falls to 4-12 on the season.
The Thunder were dominant in sets one and two. The team jumped out to a 15-4 advantage in the first set thanks to a 13-1 scoring run. Trine had 14 kills in the first, including five alone by Cassidy Victor. She also tallied three block assists in a 6.5-point first set. At the conclusion of the first, the Thunder led by a score of 25-14.
The offense was spread out in a 25-12 second set win for the home squad. Catherine Dobies tied Victor with a team-high five kills while Olivia Jolliffe and Francesca Queary each finished the second with four kills each. Another 13-1 scoring spree by Trine aided in the winning efforts to go up 17-4 at one point. Freshman Erika Goss was able to get in the set late and serve up an ace from the back row.
The Golden Eagles would turn the tide of the match in the third set and scooted away with a 25-20 victory to stay alive. The opponents hit .243 in the set and used seven Thunder errors to stay ahead in the third. Joey VanMeter, Maya Toma and Aleena Keh all contributed with three kills apiece and Anna Zellers dished out three assists from the setter spot. The lead changed hands five times in the set, but Spalding took control at 14-13 and would not look back from there.
Kailee Cornell and Kacie Van Kalker helped to settle the team in the fourth and put away the match with a 25-19 set four triumph. Cornell distributed seven assists in the fourth and had a team-high 24 in the match. Van Kalker had eight digs in the fourth and finished the night with 24 in total. Jocelynn Nicholls notched a kill to claim a 20-13 lead and force the Golden Eagles into a timeout late and a pair of service aces by Joslynn Battle helped send the Trine fans home happy.
Victor and Dobies had 10 kills each to pace the Thunder offense and Cornell finished with a double-double at 24 assists and 10 digs.
On Saturday, October 8, the team returns to Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) play versus the Saint Mary's College Belles. First serve is scheduled for 1 pm.