Women's Volleyball Stays Perfect in Five Set Win over The Fighting Saints

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – The Olivet Nazarene University women's volleyball stayed perfect on the season as they defeated the Fighting Saints of University of St. Francis, 3-2, inside McHie Arena on Saturday night.

Janelle Skinner (JR/Bolingbrook, Ill.) started off the match with a service ace as the Tigers took a 1-0 lead. The Tigers and the Fighting Saints played a close and highly contest rest of the first set as the largest lead at any instance was four. At 21-18, late in the set, kills by Becca Bell (JR/Salem, Wis.) and Katarina Nikolic (JR/Belgrade, Serbia) kept the Tigers in the set at 22-20, however the Fighting Saints had the last laugh as they took the first set 26-24.

First Set: USF 26, ONU 24

Just like Skinner did to start the first set, Kaitlyn McMahan (JR/Grant Park, Ill.) started the second set with an ace. The Tigers then found themselves up 5-3 on back-to-back kills from Nikolic. Then after USF marked seven straight points, the Tigers took advantage of three errors, two more kills by Nikolic and two aces by Carleigh Johnson (JR/Kankakee, Ill.) to take 13-10 lead. The rest of the set went back-and-forth as neither team could distance themselves from each other. At the score 23-22, Fighting Saints, the Tigers marked the final three points of the set to even the match at one set apiece. A kill by Sutton Bate (SO/Flushing, Mich.) and a McMahan service ace elevated the Tigers over the Fighting Saints in that set.

Second Set: ONU 25, USF 23

The Tigers came out really sharp in the third set marking 7 of the first 10 points highlighted by a trio of kills from Bate. The Fighting Saints would fight back and tie the set at 10 apiece. At 16-15, USF, the Fighting Saints tallied six straight points to take full control of the set and eventually won the set 25-19.

Third Set: USF 25, ONU 19

In the fourth set, The Tigers took 6 of the first 10 points to go up 6-4. At 11-10, USF, the Tigers saw kills from Rachel Newport (JR/Avon, Ind.), Johnson, and Skinner to take a 15-11 lead. After the Fighting Saints got back into the set, the Tigers finished off the fourth set marking 11 of the next 15 points, highlighted by a couple aces by Brianna Cannon (SO/San Diego, Calif.). The Tigers, again, evened the score at two sets apiece, going into the, all important, fifth set.

Fourth Set: ONU 25, USF 18

Both teams could not gain any momentum at the beginning of the fifth set as the Tigers took a 6-4 lead after the first 10 points. Newport added three kills to her total during that run.

The Tigers took control of the fifth set, down the stretch, and defeated the University of St. Francis 15-10 and took the match 3-2.

Fifth Set: ONU 15, USF 10

Game Vitals

Finals: First Set: USF 26, ONU 24 | Second Set: ONU 25, USF 23 | Third Set: USF 25, ONU 19 | Fourth Set: ONU 25, USF 18 | Fifth Set: ONU 15, USF 10

Records: Olivet Nazarene 5-0 (5-0 CCAC) | University of St. Francis 5-3 (2-1 CCAC)

Location: McHie Arena | Olivet Nazarene University | Bourbonnais, Ill.

Quick Hits:

• Newport and Nikolic each led the team with 12 kills, while Bell turned in 11 kills.
• Skinner continued to dominate the stat sheet leading the team with 44 assists.
• McMahan led the Tigers with 30 digs, while Cannon notched 18.
• The Tigers sent in 10 aces.

What's Next?

The Tigers look to stay perfect hosting Roosevelt University on Monday, February 22 at 7 p.m. inside McHie Arena.

--ONU—

*Contact: Sam Viebrock, Sports Information Director, stviebrock@olivet.edu