A test of any talented team is its ability to rise to the occasion. Using that analogy, the Hillsdale College volleyball team went through the roof Wednesday night.
The Chargers played with an unbeatable combination of energy, power and precision in sweeping Saginaw Valley State 3-0 in the quarterfinal of the 2015 GLIAC Tournament. Hillsdale (23-6) advances to the tournament semifinal Saturday against the University of Findlay at Ferris State University.
Buoyed by a home crowd of more than 700, Hillsdale went after the Cardinals in every phase of the game. Defensively, Hillsdale was able to counter SVSU's attack led by sophomore libero Brittany Jandasek, who had 26 digs, an extraordinarily high number for a three-set match.
GLIAC blocking leader Erin Holsinger was fantastic from start to finish, recording 7 block assists, every one bringing the crowd to its feet.
Offensively, senior Haylee Booms played her final career home match like it was her last match, aggressively attacking SVSU to the tune of 12 kills and a .300 hitting percentage. Senior Jordan Denmark was similarly impressive, recording 8 kills with a .389 hitting percentage.
Junior Kyra Rodi did a tremendous job of putting the ball away, recording 5 kills while hitting .455. Senior Emily Wolfert had 8 kills with 3 blocks.
The Chargers hit .233, but were able to take advantage of their aggressive play on the serve. Hillsdale outscored Saginaw Valley State 6-1 on service aces, providing the team with easy points and sustainable momentum. Hillsdale is on an eight-match winning streak heading into Saturday's semifinal.
The Chargers are 11-1 in their last 12 GLIAC Tournament home matches. This is also the first conference postseason tournament the team won since 2011.
PHOTO CREDIT: Sarah Klopfer