The 17th-ranked Hillsdale College volleyball team refused to let a slow start lead to an upset in a road match against Kentucky Wesleyan on Friday.
The Chargers trailed by double-digits for most of the first set and fell behind 1-0 in the match with a 25-17 loss, but stepped up their level of play to take control over the next three sets, blowing past the host Panthers 25-17, 25-12, 25-15 to secure a four-set victory and improve to 3-0 in G-MAC play on the season.
Hillsdale never led in the first set and struggled offensively, hitting an uncharacteristic 0.088 and finishing with just seven kills.
The Chargers made adjustments in the second set and were more efficient passing the ball to set up their offense, never looking back after the slow start. The Chargers hit .375 in the second set, .346 in the third set, and a scorching .412 with a match-high 15 kills in the fourth and deciding set.
Junior Karoline Shelton led the way for the Chargers with another strong performance. The Shawnee, Kansas native recorded her seventh double-double of the season, with a team-leading 17 kills as well as 10 digs and three blocks.
Offensively, senior Allyssa Van Wienen also was a difference-maker in the final three sets, chipping in seven kills, four digs and three blocks, and freshman Maizie Brown added six kills and three blocks.
Senior setter Lindsey Mertz shared time with both sophomore Madeline Zenas and freshman Amy Passaglia as the setter in the match, but still managed an efficient 24 assists for the Chargers, along with 11 digs and three kills.
Freshman libero Alli Wiese led the Chargers defensively with 20 digs, senior Madie Schider chipped in 10 digs, and sophomore Audrey Riley added three service aces as well.
Hillsdale is now 9-2 overall and tied for first in the G-MAC North Division with Findlay. The Chargers and Oilers are among the four remaining unbeaten teams in the G-MAC, along with Ohio Dominican and Ashland in the South Division.
The Chargers have another tough road test awaiting on Saturday as they travel to Trevecca Nazarene in Nashville, Tennessee for a 1 p.m. match. The Trojans are just 1-2 in the G-MAC but that record is misleading, as two of those losses have come to Findlay and Ohio Dominican squads who are tied for divisional leads, and the Trojans enter the match having taken the Oilers to five sets in a thriller on Friday night.
A victory would help the Chargers keep pace with the Oilers ahead of a crucial North Division showdown at Findlay on Tuesday, Sept. 28.
Photo Courtesy of Joel Krenz, Kentucky Wesleyan Athletics