Friday Recap
Box Score - Hillsdale 3, Cedarville 2
Box Score - Southern Indiana 3, Hillsdale 0
The Hillsdale College volleyball team has shown a flair for the dramatic over the years. Friday afternoon's 2014 season opener was no exception.
The Chargers struggled in the middle sets, but eventually wiped out a 2-1 deficit to post a five-set win over the Cedarville University Yellow Jackets in the first match of the Dunn Hospitality Invitational, hosted by the University of Southern Indiana.
In the day's second match, the Chargers lost to the host Screaming Eagles 3-0, with set scores of 25-21, 25-19, 25-21.
In the opener, Hillsdale won the first set, but decisively lost sets two and three by scores of 25-18 and 25-22. However, set 4 saw the Chargers clearly up their level of play in all areas. Set 4 was a 25-21 win for the Chargers, and the momentum carried over into the fifth set, which finished with a score of 15-6
The last set was the best one of the match for Hillsdale, as the team had a .421 hitting percentage, while holding Cedarville to a -.050 hitting percentage in that set. This was also just the second win in a season opener for the Chargers since 2009.
Junior Emily Wolfert was key in the team's resugence in the last two sets. She had four of her team-high 18 kills in the fifth set, and played better defense in the final two sets as well.
Sophomore Erin Holsinger was unstoppable throughout the match, as she registered a career-high 15 kills with a .414 hitting percentage. Her jumping ability was a big asset, as she was able to hit the ball over and through the Yellow Jacket block throughout the match.
Freshman Jessie Kopmeyer had a strong collegiate debut for Hillsdale, picking up a high double-double with 11 kills and 27 digs.
Junio setter Marissa Owen, one of the team's captains this season, set a new career-high with 52 assists. This was her first five-set match as a setter in a 5-1 offensive alignment in her career, and she responded with a terrific effort.
USI controlled the pace of Friday's nightcap, rarely giving up the lead. Hillsdale was held to a team hitting percentage of .147 in the loss.
Senior Lindsay Kostrzewa played well at the net with 8 kills and 8 block assists for the Chargers. Owen handed out 18 assists, and Holsinger had a second straight match with an plus-.400 hitting percentage, generating six kills with no errors.
Saturday Recap
Box Score - Missouri-St. Louis 3, Hillsdale 0
Box Score - #23 West Florida 3, Hillsdale 1
The Charger volleyball team went 0-2 to wrap up play in the season-opening Dunn Hospitality Invitational, hosted by the University of Southern Indiana Saturday.
Hillsdale was swept by Missouri-St. Louis 3-0 in the morning, then later lost in four sets to 23rd-ranked University of West Florida. The 1-3 Chargers will open up conference play at home next weekend, hosting Lake Erie College at 7 p.m. Friday, followed by a showdown with Ashland at 2:00 Saturday.
In the first match, the Chargers struggled with their passing, and had difficulty running a smooth offense against the Tritons. Although UMSL didn't record a single team block, it had a .321 hitting percentage for the match, committing just three hitting errors in the third set.
Wolfert led the Chargers with 8 kills in the loss to UMSL.
The team's intensity and execution picked up in the second match of the day. The Chargers had zero hitting errors in a set three 25-21 win. The Argonaughts won two sets by identical 25-21 scores and took the third 25-18.
Kopmeyer had her second double-double of the weekend, and had an impressive stat line of 12 kills, 12 digs and a .440 hitting percentage. Junior right-side Haylee Booms was outstanding in the match with a season-high 14 kills to go along with one solo block, six block assists and a .375 hitting percentage. Owen handed out 33 assists and 15 digs, while freshman libero Brittany Jandasek set a new career-best with a team-high 22 digs.