ANGOLA, Ind. – The Trine University women's volleyball team forced extra points in the first set, but were ultimately defeated by Hope College, who is ranked second in the nation, in the final game of the regular season. The visitors won in three sets.

The opening set of the contest was the best of the night for the Thunder. The teams traded points during the first third of the set, until Trine built a four point lead at 12-8 with a 6-2 run. The Flying Dutch battled back and eventually the teams began trading leads again. The score was tied 17 times in the set, including at 24-24, before Hope took the stanza by the score of 26-24.

The visitors easily took the second, winning 25-15. The Thunder then started strong in the third set, holding a 5-2 lead after Emmaline Leatherman had a strong service for three straight points. Catherine Dobies start that run, followed by kills by Madison Dominick and Leatherman before the final point came on the service. It was the lone lead of the set for the team, but they kept it close through the remainder falling 25-15.

Dobies led the team offensively, finishing the contest with 14 kills and a strong .323 hitting percentage. She was also second on the team with 13 digs. Dominick finished second on the team with eight kills. Van Kalker led the team with 19 digs and Cara Wlodarczyk finished with three service aces.

The Thunder finish the regular season with a 21-5 overall record, already representing the second most wins for the program since joining the NCAA in 2004. They finish conference play with a 5-3 record, in a tie for third in the standings. They will serve as the fourth seed in the upcoming Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Tournament. They will host Adrian College in their opening round contest which is scheduled for Tuesday, November 12 at 7 p.m.