GREENCASTLE, Ind. – The Trine University women's volleyball team (1-6) picked up it's first win on Saturday afternoon topping Dominican (Ill.) (0-3) in straight sets on day two of the DePauw Invitational. Trine tallied 18 aces in the win over the Stars, tied for the fifth most in a match in program history. Trine took on DePauw (3-3) in the first game of the day.
DePauw took game one in straight sets 25-19, 25-23, 25-15.
Julia Maggio punched nine kills in the match and served up two aces.
Anna Zellers tallied 11 assists. The Tigers took an early lead in set one, Maggio pulled Trine within one with a pair of kills. The Tigers kept the Thunder at bay and claimed set one. DePauw looked set to run away with set two leading 16-9. Trine forced five side outs and got kills from four different players to rally to a 22-21 advantage. DePauw was able to rally for the win. DPU again raced out to an early lead again in set three but would not allow a Thunder comeback this time, taking the set handily 25-15.
Trine started set one with an 8-0 run for a lead they would not relinquish. Zellers got started with an ace before dishing assists to
Emmaline Leatherman and
Addyson Kuzma. The Stars scored three consecutive points but
Julia Maggio added a kill and an ace to quiet the rally. Dominican closed the gap to 14-9 but the Thunder scored the next seven to put the set out of reach,
Elli Baker served four aces and added a kill as the freshman made her mark. Set two was much tighter, Trine led early behind kills from Maggio, Kuzma, and Leatherman. Dominican rallied for a 17-14 lead, Trine tied things at 19, the teams traded points to a 23 all tie. A service error and side out would give Trine the set two win.
Dominican got the jump in set three taking a 4-2 lead. Trine quickly recovered for a 7-6 lead, Baker added another ace and Maggio bounced a kill.
Julia Maggio broke a 10-10 tie with a pair of aces. Leatherman and Baker extended the lead with kills and
Cali Stevons blew the set open with back to back aces.
Reese Steenwyk added a kill to regain the service for the Thunder. Baker again found herself on the serve and added her seventh ace of the match for a 21-13 lead.
Jordan Budzinski got in on the service action with an ace of her own.
Regan Nordmann bounced a kill to put Trine in match point position. The Stars made the Thunder earn it forcing three set points before a side out gave the Thunder their first win of the year.
Elli Baker's seven aces are the third most in a game in program history and rank her fifth all-time for single match aces.
Trine heads to the Hanover Invitational next week and will take on #25 Otterbein on Friday evening.
