The Findlay volleyball team had ambitions of ending the 17th-ranked Hillsdale College volleyball team's four-year run of dominance in the G-MAC when the Chargers came to town on Tuesday night.
But Hillsdale put a block on the Oilers' hopes of ending the Chargers' 59-match conference winning streak -- quite literally.
The Chargers shut down one of the G-MAC's most dangerous teams at the net, finishing with 15 total blocks and harrassing the Oilers into a .171 hitting percentage, nearly .060 worse than their season average, in a three set road sweep, 25-19, 25-15, 26-24.
Senior middle blocker Allyssa Van Wienen, currently 17th in Division II in blocks per set, led the Charger rejection party with six total blocks and three solo blocks, but she was far from alone on the night, as fellow senior Maddie Clark chipped in five total blocks and three solo blocks as well, and senior Maggie DePorre and sophomore Maizie Brown each added five total blocks as well.
Hillsdale ran away with the first and second sets, aided by an efficient offensive performance. The Chargers hit well above .300 in both sets and finished with just three attack errors to Findlay's 17.
The Oilers came out firing in the third set to try and avoid a sweep, blunting Hillsdale's offensive effectiveness with improved defense and also pounding down 20 kills to push the set into extra points. But Hillsdale continued to avoid critical attack errors, committing just three, and forced the Oilers into six errors of their own to complete the sweep.
The Chargers' focus and efficiency paid off in other areas, as well. Hillsdale had just one service error on the night, while Findlay had six -- a discrepancy that loomed large in the third set.
Junior Karoline Shelton, the G-MAC North Division Offensive Player of the Week last week, finished with 14 kills and 16 digs, her eighth double-double of the season, to lead the Chargers on the night, and Clark had another excellent performace as well, contributing 11 kills to go with her three solo blocks.
DePorre and Van Wienen each chipped in five kills as well for the Chargers, and freshman libero Alli Wiese and senior defensive specialist Madie Schider each chipped in 10 digs, with sophomore defensive specialist Audrey Riley adding nine digs as well.
Senior setter Lindsey Mertz finished with 35 assists, 11.67 per set, to keep the Charger offense humming, and added in two kills as well.
With the win, Hillsdale improves to 11-2 overall, and 5-0 in G-MAC play, taking a match lead over Findlay in the North Division. The Chargers are one of two undefeated teams left in G-MAC play, along with G-MAC South Division leader Ashland and will travel to the Cleveland area this weekend for two league matches, beginning with a 6 p.m. Friday match against Lake Erie.
Photo by Kyle Niermann/Findlay Athletics