OLIVET, Mich. - The Kalamazoo College volleyball team overcame a two-set deficit to win in five sets at Olivet on Thursday, including 16-14 in the decisive fifth set.
Olivet won the first two sets 25-18 and 25-19.
The third set was tied 10-10 when Kalamazoo built a 19-13 lead. Olivet cut the deficit to four (19-15) before Kalamazoo won six of the next seven points to win the set and keep the match alive.
Kalamazoo trailed 6-5 early in the fourth set before a 9-3 run gave the Hornets a 15-8 lead. Kalamazoo led 23-13 late when Olivet scored four straight points to make it 23-17. Kalamazoo scored the final two points to send the match to a fifth set.
Kalamazoo led 10-3 in the fifth set when Olivet rallied to make it 12-11. The teams were tied at 13-13 and again at 14-14 before kills by Halley Johnson and Charlotte Ruiter put the Hornets on top 16-14 in the final set and win the match.
Kalamazoo hit .132 for the match compared to .099 by Olivet. The Hornets had 14 aces compared to 11 by Olivet.
Ann Lawrence led the Hornets with 11 kills. Charlotte Ruiter finished with 10. Josee Cooke had eight with a .500 hitting percentage.
Jana Molby led Kalamazoo with 20 assist. Sara Reathaford finished with 18.
Halley Johnson had a team-high 17 digs. Morgan Shearer finished with 16. Lizzy Rachiele had 14, while Molby ended with 10 to complete the double-double (assists-digs).
Toni Koshmider was credited with six block assists. Emma Stickley, Ruiter, Johnson and Lawrence each had four.
Kalamazoo (3-2 MIAA) takes a break from conference play to host Grace Christian University in a Mental Health Awareness Game this Saturday, Oct. 8 at 2:30 p.m.