GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. – The Trine University women's volleyball team picked up a split on the first day of the Midwest Invitational. They fell to nationally ranked Calvin University 3-0 before defeating North Park University 3-1.
The Knights, who are ranked 14th in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association national poll, are serving as hosts for the event and defeated Trine convincingly in the opening contest. They took the first six points of the match before running away with a 25-15 victory in the first set. They won the second set 25-7 in much the same way. Trine had a lead to start the third set, taking the first two points. They led by three twice in the early part of the set, 6-3 and 8-5. A could of long services flipped the score and Calvin won 25-21.
Julia Maggio led the team with five kills in the match, while committing just one error. She also led the team with 11 digs. Cali Stevons had 12 assists in the match. Adelaide Elden and Claire Foulk each had three blocks, tying for the game high on either team.
The Thunder's match against the Vikings started as a back-and-forth affair with the teams tied at 12-12. At that point Trine took five of the next six points to build a lead that they held through the rest of the set, taking it 25-23. The Thunder led after a 4-4 tie in the second set, but it was Annika Schrock who finished off the win. In her first service chance she secured a 7-0 run, including three aces, that ended in a 25-13 win.
North Park won the third set to stave off defeat. An early 6-0 run gave them a 10-4 lead that they held onto through the rest of the set, despite a late rally by the Thunder that cut into the deficit. The Vikings won 25-23. Trine took the first five points of the fourth set and never relinquished the lead, ultimately building on it for the 25-14 win that secured the match.
Reese Steenwyk and Elli Baker led the team with ten kills each, tying with one Viking student-athlete for the match high. Maggio led the team with six aces while also tying with Jordan Budzinski with 17 digs. Stevons finished with 14 digs and led the team with 20 assists.
The Thunder finish the day 8-10 overall. They will finish the invitational tomorrow, Saturday, October 10, with a single non-conference game against Alma College. That match is set to begin at 10:30 a.m.
