NICHOLAS POWERS ONU TO CONFERENCE-OPENER VICTORY OVER GSU

UNIVERSITY PARK, Ill. – Halle Nicholas put down a match-high 15 kills and notched six service aces to lead the Olivet Nazarene University women's volleyball team to a 29-27, 25-16, 21-25, 25-23 victory over Governors State in the CCAC opener Thursday night in the ARC.

Nicholas, a first-team all-CCAC selection a season ago, rapped out her 15 kills in 32 chances with just four attacking errors for a robust .344 hitting percentage. It also marks the second consecutive game and fourth on the year where the senior has recorded 15 kills or more in a match.

And the Tigers would need them to get past the Jaguars in the opening set. Facing a 22-18 deficit late in the first, Nicholas registered a kill to cut the deficit to three. This sparked a 6-2 ONU rally that was capped off by back-to-back kills from Kaylee Cozen to tie the match.

Both squads traded points in the deuce up to 27-27, but an errant Jaguar attack gave the Tigers the advantage followed by a block from Sanif and Analiese Fredin to seal the set for ONU.

The Tigers rode the early momentum into the second set, registering 17 kills on a scorching .500 hitting percentage to take a commanding 2-0 lead. The set was knotted up at 12-12 midway through, but three kills and a pair of service aces off the hand of Nicholas contributed to a 13-4 ONU scoring stretch to close out the set.

Governors State (4-5, 0-1 CCAC) rallied to claim the third set and looked poised to force a decisive fifth set after a four-point spurt caught ONU at 20-20 in the fourth. But a Jaguar attacking error gave ONU the lead for good, with Cozen roofing back-to-back solo blocks and another GSU error closing out the match.

Sanif was second on the team with nine kills. She was also one of three Tigers to record four blocks or more alongside Cozen (5) and Kaitlyn Kolb (4). Ava Smith rounded out the match with seven kills.

Fredin led the way with 40 assists while registering six kills of her own. Breanna Lamie anchored the back row with 12 digs. Sara Serafimova added eight digs, as well.

The CCAC-opening victory was just the start of a busy weekend as the Tigers (4-7, 1-0 CCAC) will compete in four matches at the Liz Lykowski Memorial Tournament hosted by Indiana Tech this weekend.

--ONU—

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