ANGOLA, Ind. - The Trine University volleyball team pushed the reigning Division III champions and top ranked Calvin College to the limit falling 3-0 (25-17, 28-26, 25-21). The Thunder are now 8-8 on the season and 3-3 in the conference.

Coming into the match, the Knights had not dropped a set in conference play this season. However, the Thunder pushed them to the brink in the second and third sets nearly taking the set each time. Trine is the first conference team to score more than 20 points in multiple sets of a match again the Knights.

Trine lead Calvin early on the in the first set, but the Knights went on a run, scoring five straight points to take the lead. However, the Thunder refused to go quietly and they rallied back scoring six points in a row to tie the game at 10. Down the stretch, the Knights attack proved to be too much as they would again go on to score several straight points including the final six points of the set.

Set number two saw Calvin take control of the match early again. Yet, once again the Thunder kept the match within striking distance and taking their first lead at 12-11. Both sides traded points, but Trine got fired up and scored five straight points to take the lead 17-12. Later, leading 20-15, the Knights fought back going on their own five point streak. With the match now 21-20, Calvin scored consecutive points to go up by one. Both sides traded points before Trine finally pulled ahead 26-25 with what seemed like the momentum to put the game away. However, the defending national champions wouldn't let Trine have their way. Calvin finished off the set by scoring the final three points and taking a two game advantage.

Despite trailing early in the third set, Trine clawed their way back to tie the game at 11-11. Calvin would score the next five points to gain the lead for good. From there, neither team was able to put together a long scoring rally. The Thunder did their best to get back into the game, but were unable to get any closer than three points at 23-20.

“I am very proud and excited for the way our team has played the last two days,” coach Jamie Wozniak said. “Our girls played awesome today. They are the defending champions and the top team in the country and we hung tough with them. We did a good job of eliminating their long runs throughout the match but we just had a couple of missed serves at the wrong time.”

Leading the way offensively for the Thunder was junior Betsy Irwin (Athens, Ohio/Alexander) with a game-high 14 kills. Irwin out-hit the national player of the week in Calvin's Rebecca Kamp in both total kills (14-to-11) and hitting percentage (.296-to-.280). Freshman Melanie Troyer (Elkhart, Ind./Elkhart Memorial) had her fifth double-double of the season with 11 kills and a team-high 12 digs. Fellow freshman Carly Searles (Levering, Mich./Petoskey) added in six kills. Senior Julie Kooienga (Hamilton, Mich./Hamilton) tallied four kills to go along with a team-high three blocks (1 solo, 2 assisted).

Junior Sarah Radekin (Athens, Ohio/Alexander), led the offense with a game-high 30 assists.

Trine's defense held the Knight's to a season-low hitting percentage in a three set match of .240 and Kamp to a season low .280. Calvin came into the match 9th in the country in hitting percentage at .291 while Kamp was third in the country hitting .441. On the afternoon, Trine had more kills than Calvin in both the first and second sets.

Trine will return to action on September 28 as they travel to Olivet College for a 6:30 p.m. match.