TIGERS EARN THIRD STRAIGHT FIVE-SET DECISION AGAINST JUDSON

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – The Olivet Nazarene University women's volleyball team returned to McHie Arena to host the Judson University Eagles for a Thursday night Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) clash. The Tigers earn their third straight five-set decision winning, 3-2. 

The Tigers start off the match marking 6 of the first 10 points.  Becca Bell and Carleigh Johnson all sent over a kill while Hadleigh Loitz connected on an ace.  The Tigers and the Eagles played a very competitive middle of the set until the Tigers grabbed the momentum.  Starting by kills from Rachel Newport and Katarina Nikolic, the Tigers went on to score the next five points.  After the Eagles marked the next point, ONU finished off Judson with the final three points and won 25-18. 

The Tigers were off to a slow start to start the second set as the Eagles won 8 of the first 11 points and took an 8-3 lead.  The Eagles kept the momentum going and would lead by as much as 11 at 19-8.  Then, a kill by Sutton Bate and Bell cut the lead to seven at 19-12.  Despite a late comeback, the Tigers came up short falling in the second set, 25-18.

The two teams played a highly contested beginning of the third set trading the first 12 points.  As the set went on, there were 12 ties and neither team led by more than two.  With the Tigers up 24-23, late, the Eagles scored three straight points to take the third set, 26-24. 

The Tigers scored 7 of the first 11 points and led, 7-4.  Bell had a pair of kills during that stretch.  The two teams saw back-and-forth play until the Tigers took advantage of a short run.  At the score 13-12, Judson, the Tigers notched the next four points to take a 17-12 lead. After the Eagles closed the gap to 18-15, a kills by Kaylee Cozen, Janelle Skinner, and Halle Nicholas put the Tigers in good position to win leading 22-16.  Sure enough, the Tigers took the final two points of the match and won 25-18, to force a fifth set. 

Judson grabbed the early momentum at the beginning of the fifth set and scored six of the first eight points.  With their back-up-against-the-wall, at 9-4, the Tigers rattled off six of the next seven points and tied the match at 10.  Newport, Skinner, and Bate all recorded at least one kill during that stretch. 

Tied at 11, ONU took advantage of good offense by Nicholas and Bell and won their third straight five-set match. 

GAME VITALS

Finals: First Set: ONU 25, JU 18 | Second Set: JU 25, ONU 18 | Third Set: JU 26, ONU 24 | Fourth Set: ONU 25, JU 18 | Fifth Set: ONU 15, JU 12

Records: Olivet Nazarene: 10-5 (6-2 CCAC) | Judson: 12-6 (4-4 CCAC)

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

QUICK HITS

• Bell led the Tigers with 15 kills, while Newport followed with 11 kills. 
• Bell hit a team-best .419. 
• Skinner led the Tigers with 28 assists, while Loitz followed with 20. 
• McMahan tied her career-high with 35 digs.  This is the third time this season that Kaitlyn recorded 35 digs.
• Johnson tallied 22 digs. 
• Bell led the team with five blocks. 
• The Tigers have won five of their last six matches. 

WHAT'S NEXT?

ONU hits the road on Saturday, October 2 as they compete against Lincoln College. The opening service is set for 3 p.m.

--ONU—

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