TIGERS FALL IN TWO MATCHES AT AQUINAS TRI-MATCH

GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – Playing in their fifth and sixth games in a span of six days, the Olivet Nazarene University volleyball team dropped a pair of non-conference games in a tri-match against Aquinas and Huntington Wednesday afternoon in the Sturrus Center.

The Tigers opened against the host school Aquinas, falling to the Saints 9-25, 15-25, 12-25 before wrapping the day with a 18-25, 25-22, 20-25, 24-26 setback to the Foresters in the finale.

Halle Nicholas led the Tigers against Aquinas with seven kills. She had just two hitting errors to finish with a .227 hitting percentage. Kaitlyn Kolb and Sabrina Sanif both collected three kills. Kelsey Todd, Ava Smith, and Kaylee Cozen each contributed a kill.

Analiese Fredin was the only Tiger to record an assist, finishing with 16. She also recorded one service ace, alongside Todd with one and Sanif with two. Breanna Lamie led the defensive effort with seven digs.

ONU rallied to go toe-to-toe with Huntington. After dropping the first set, the Tigers bounced back to claim the second set. A kill from Smith followed by a block from Fredin and Sanif gave ONU a commanding six-point advantage at 21-15. Back-to-back kills from Sanif and Nicholas a few points later closed out the set to even the tally at 1-1.

After Huntington took the third set, the match looked poised to head to a decisive fifth set with ONU after consecutive kills from Kolb and Nicholas put the Tigers at set point, but were unable to capitalize on the 24-23 lead as the Foresters rattled off three straight points to take the match.

Nicholas again led the Tigers on offense, putting away a season-high 18 kills. Kolb and Smith each recorded six kills, Fredin had four, and Sanif finished with three. Kate Worthy, Cozen, and Tatum Wade all had one kill apiece.

Fredin racked up 29 assists in the setback. Lamie (23) and Smith (16) combined for 39 of the teams 63 digs.

The Tigers will have a week off before heading to Upland, Ind., to compete in the Amber McClure Fayerweather Memorial Tournament. The tournament is set to begin on Friday, Aug. 30 with a match against Indiana East.

--ONU—

*Contact: Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu