GREENCASTLE, Ind. – The Hanover volleyball team won its final six sets Saturday afternoon, knocking off DePauw in five and Wheaton (Ill.) in three sets.

After dropping the first two sets to DePauw, 25-23 and 25-18, the Panthers (10-3) rallied to win the final three frames, 25-22, 25-23 and 18-16.

Four players for HC posted 12 or more kills, with seniors Kelsey Brandvik (Indianapolis, Ind.) and Kristin Goben (Finchville, Ky.) tying for the team high with 14 apiece. Goben also added a team high 12 kills in the second half of the doubleheader.

Senior Emily Ertel (North Vernon, Ind.) and junior Margo Main (Ann Arbor, Mich.) pitched in with 13 and 12 kills, respectively, against the Tigers.

Hanover logged a season-high 69 assists in the opener, with junior Abby Crump (Indianapolis, Ind.)leading the team with 32 helpers. Classmate Haley Alexaner (Martinsville, Ind.) added 27 assists.

Senior Monique Huynh (Indianapolis, Ind.) recorded 28 digs versus DePauw and dug out 16 more against Wheaton, leading the team in both matches. Goben added 14 digs in each match Saturday as well.

Trailing in the third set against DePauw 21-18, Hanover scored seven of the final eight points in the set, keeping the match alive with a 25-22 victory. Main posted three kills during the set-ending scoring spurt.

Again, DePauw led late in the fourth set, 22-17, but an 8-1 scoring run gave Hanover a 25-23 set decision.

The fifth and decisive set came down to the wire, as the Blue and Red took an early four-point lead, and held on for an 18-16 set and match victory.

Hanover cruised in all three sets against Wheaton, knocking off the Thunder for the second time this season. The Panthers held a lead of at least seven points in all three sets of the nightcap.

After going 1-3 in each of its last two appearances in the DePauw Invitational, Hanover finished the event 2-2 this season.

The Panthers continue non-conference tournament play again next weekend, competing in the HCAC-OAC Crossover. The Blue and Red open the event with a 4 p.m. match against Capital (Ohio) Friday, Sept. 22.

Contact: Tyler Jester

jestert@hanover.edu