The Hillsdale College volleyball team couldn't get the victory on the road in its season finale at Findlay on Saturday, falling to the Oilers by a razor-thin margin in a five-set heartbreaker, 25-20, 22-25, 25-17, 19-25, 14-16.
But despite the season-ending loss, the Chargers will still go home with a trophy and a crucial prize -- the top seed and hosting rights in the upcoming G-MAC Tournament next week.
Although Hillsdale's loss drops them to 16-3 in G-MAC play, fellow G-MAC co-leader Walsh also fell on Saturday in five sets at Ohio Dominican, meaning the two teams will tie for both the G-MAC North Division title and the outright G-MAC crown. The Chargers will get the top seed in the upcoming tournament thanks to their sweep of Walsh at home on Nov. 4, which gives them an edge in the head-to-head against the Cavaliers, who beat Hillsdale on Oct. 1 but did so in five sets.
The Chargers nearly had the title to themselves on Saturday, taking a 2-1 lead on the back of strong showings in sets one and three, but Hillsdale let both sets two and four get away from them late. In a back-and-forth set five, Hillsdale rattled off four straight points, including two blocks involving junior Maizie Brown, to give themselves match point at 14-13. But the Oilers scored the next three points to take the set and the match, 16-14.
In a close battle, Findlay's edge on the attack, with 71 kills to Hillsdale's 51, was just enough to overcome Hillsdale's edge at the service line (six service errors to Findlay's 17), and in blocks (12.5 to 6), as well as Findlay's 32 attack errors.
Brown had a huge night once again for Hillsdale, with 12 kills, six solo blocks and 11 total blocks in the contest to lead the way. Megan Kolp chipped in 12 kills on .417 hitting for the Chargers, Marilyn Popplewell added an 11 kill, 12 dig double-double and Emory Braswell chipped in 10 kills for Hillsdale.
Defensively, Alli Wiese led Hillsdale with 20 digs two service aces, with those service aces giving her 58 for the season and breaking the Chargers' single-season school record for aces set by Apryl Schmucker in 2011. Amanda Hilliker chipped in 15 digs for the Chargers and Audrey Riley added seven.
Setter Lauren Passaglia had a solid night for Hillsdale, finishing with 43 assists and eight digs.
Hillsdale finishes the regular season 24-6 overall, and 16-3 in G-MAC play, and will be the top seed in the upcoming G-MAC Tourney, with home court advantage for as long as the Chargers keep advancing. Hillsdale will host eighth-seeded Cedarville in a G-MAC Quarterfinal on Tuesday, November 14 at 7 p.m. If the Chargers can take down the Yellow Jackets, they would host both G-MAC Semifinal matches on Friday, Nov. 17 and the G-MAC Final on Saturday, Nov. 18 as well.
Photo by Reva Ludwig