ANGOLA, Ind. – A trio of Thunder attackers notched double digit kills in the Thunder's home MIAA opener on Wednesday night. Elli Baker led the Trine University women's volleyball team, 6-12 (1-1 MIAA) with 17 kills in a 3-1 win over St. Mary's College, 12-5 (0-3 MIAA).
 
Baker led the way with 17 but Emmaline Leatherman was nearly unstoppable adding 15 kills on .379 hitting and added four blocks. Julia Maggio posted a 13-kill, 10-dig double-double and Anna Zellers had a double-double of her own with 26 assists and 15 digs. Trine took the match in four sets 25-17, 22-25, 25-23, 25-17.
 
Leatherman was red hot from the start, she nailed four kills and three blocks in set one. She scored three consecutive Thunder points via kill, hammering the ball into the Belles' defense. Kylie Rowland keyed and important 5-0 run with three aces to help the Thunder to a set one win.
 
Zellers assisted eight of Trine's 16 kills in set two that featured a healthy dose of Leatherman, Baker, and Maggio, the trio bounced 12 kills in the set. Trine looked set to cruise to a set two win but the service of Lexi Szymanski propelled the Belles' to a 13-3 run to close the set which had eight ties and seven lead changes.
 
It was Baker's turn in set three, she hit .462 in the set with seven kills to one error. Trine trailed 15-11 before eight kills from five players gave Trine a 21-18 lead. Baker and Reese Steenwyk put the set away with a kill each.
 
Leatherman, Steenwyk, and Baker each had three kills in set four only to be bested by Maggio who had four. Trine owned the middle portion of the set, turning an 11-7 deficit into a 22-15 lead. Steenwyk added her kills early in the run and Leatherman added her's near the end, putting the Thunder in match point position and turning the ball over to Maggio for the service. Maggio provided a final spark, an ace to end the match.
 
Trine remains home for their next contest, a renewal of the Border Brawl on Tuesday at 6:30 p.m.