DC Volleyball loses five-game heartbreaker
Nick Williams, Assistant SID

DEFIANCE, Ohio – The momentum of a rally from a 2-1 deficit could not vault the Defiance College Volleyball team to a victory as the visiting Hornets of Kalamazoo College squeaks out the five-game win by the score 33-35, 30-21, 30-20, 27-30, 15-13.

The first game was neck-and-neck, as the Hornets rallied back from a 21-16 deficit to tie the game at 23. The two teams then proceeded to trade points back and forth, sending the game into extra points, with DC earning the win on a kill by Corrie Farley.

The second game was controlled moreso by Kalamazoo, as the Jackets fought from behind most of the match. DC fell behind early, trailing 15-7 at one point. The Jackets could not come closer than five for the rest of the game.

The third game played similar to that of the previous game. DC led for only a brief series, at one point up 10-8. However, Kalamazoo would go on a 6-1 run and never trail the rest of the game.

The fourth game was a different story, as the Jackets began to build some momentum, jumping out to an early 10-5 lead. The Hornets would come back to tie the match at 18. Much like the first match, the two teams rallied back and forth for the remainder of the game, with DC pulling out the victory on a kill by Danyel Lipps.

The deciding game five saw an intense battle between both teams, with points being exchanged on almost every volley. With the score tied at nine, three straight points by Kalamazoo put DC two points away from the loss. DC was able to rally back and come within one at match point with the Hornets up 14-13. However, a timely block on a Yellow Jacket attack sealed the win for Kalamazoo.

Defiance put on a great defensive effort, totaling 121 digs, with six players reaching double figures, including Corrie Farley with a team-high 28. Three players had double-doubles in kills and digs, including Farley (13-28), Danyel Lipps (12-20), and Danielle Rego (14-10). Ashton Judis had 43 assists in the match.

The Yellow Jackets head to the Windy City tomorrow to play in the University of Chicago Tournament. DC takes on Lake Forest Friday evening at 5:15 p.m.