Courtesy: Hillsdale Athletic Department
The Hillsdale volleyball team won its first conference game of the season against rival Northwood University Sept. 26, now standing 3-6 overall and 1-2 in the Great Midwest Athletic Conference.
According to sophomore Jenna Southland, while away in Midland, Michigan, the Chargers played an intense game without losing their cool.
“The energy was high throughout the game. We were focused and ready for anything,” Southland said. “It felt really good to win, especially since it was such a tight game. Emotions were high and we focused on taking care of our side.”
The Chargers made zero attack errors in the first set, starting the game with a 25-17 victory. The Northwood Timberwolves came back in the second set, scoring 25-19, before the Chargers led set three wire-to-wire, winning 25-22.
Trailing in the fourth set, Hillsdale rallied for a 23-all standing, but lost the last two points to Northwood.
Starting with a kill from junior Molly Kennedy, Hillsdale outscored Northwood 9-3, taking a 16-14 victory in the fifth set. Southland, senior Adi Sysum, and sophomore Hannah Baker helped with the win, each making two kills.
Three Chargers, junior Emory Braswell, Sysum, and Baker, tied for the team lead with 12 kills each. Southland added 10 kills and seven total blocks, while freshman Ella Byrum led defensively with 23 digs, and senior Josie TeSlaa had a team-high of 43 assists.
Byrum said she was able to lead defensively due to her team setting the ball for her at the right moments.
“Our front row did a great job of setting up a solid block, which allowed me to be in a better position to make those defensive plays,” Byrum said. “When everyone is focused on doing their job and bettering the ball for each other, our energy on the court enables us to play at a really high level.”
Head coach Chris Gravel said the team’s strongest plays were seen in its attacks out of the middle.
“We attacked out of the middle well,” Gravel said. “Adi in particular attacked the ball so quickly out of the middle, Adi’s opposing blocker had to often jump to block her after the ball had already passed her by.”
Hillsdale will travel to Kentucky to face off against Kentucky Wesleyan College Oct. 3 and Thomas More University Oct. 4.
