FRANKLIN, IND.-- Trine opened a tri-match with a sweep over Anderson, but fell to Franklin in five sets to close out the regular-season Saturday afternoon at the Spurlock Center.
The Thunder downed Anderson 25-21, 25-18, 25-18 before following with a disappointing five-set loss to the Grizzlies (27-25, 25-21, 13-25, 15-25, 12-15). Lauren Verkamp (Franklin, Ind./Franklin Community) led the attack with 23 kills and notched her ninth double-double of the season. Carly Searles (Levering, Mich./Petoskey) picked up her sixth triple-double of the year and finished the day with 15 kills, 61 assists, and 20 digs. Searles moved into sixth on Trine's all-time list in digs with 1,235 in her career. Trine concludes the regular-season 24-5. The 24 wins mark a program-best since joining NCAA Division III, and are the best overall at the school since 1999.
Trine 3, Anderson 0
Lauren and Megan Verkamp (Franklin, Ind./Franklin Community) led the way offensively with 10 kills and seven kills respectively.
Searles hit .444 and notched five kills and 29 assists offensively. Mikayla Carpenter (Huntington, Ind./Huntington North) notched a match-high 14 digs for the Thunder.
Annie Bachman and Melissa Baab led the Anderson attack with seven kills apiece. Megan Wade notched a match-high 15 digs, while Riley Troyer passed out 29 assists and added seven digs.
Anderson fell to 11-18 with the loss.
Franklin 3, Trine 2
The Grizzlies became the first team outside of Hope or Calvin to defeat Trine this season.
Franklin found a way to prevail in a marathon first-set 27-25, then held the Thunder to a -.026 hitting percentage in the second set. Trine dominated the third and fourth sets to force the deciding set, but the Grizzlies were able to prevail 15-12 to go home with the win.
FC finished with 100 digs to just 81 for Trine, and the Grizzlies' physical play at the net came away with 17 blocks. Jordan Fink notched five solo blocks and assisted on two others in addition to her nine kills. Brooke Harvey led the attack with 11 kills. Mackenzie Wieneke picked-up a team-high 23 digs, while Ashley Bazier notched 38 assists and 21 digs.
Taylor Rabel (Muncie, Ind./Muncie Central) led the Trine attack with 14 kills. Searles notched the triple-double with 10 kills, 32 assists and 14 digs. Lauren Verkamp picked up the double-double, with 13 kills and 15 digs. Carpenter added 23 digs.
Trine will head to the MIAA Semifinals at Hope College as the no. 3 seed. The Thunder will face no. 2 seed and defending-National Champion Calvin at 5:30 p.m. Friday, Nov. 7.
