HANOVER v EARLHAM
Hanover Women's Volleyball battled through a competitive five-set match Saturday afternoon but came up short against Earlham College, falling 3–2 in Richmond. The Panthers opened with a 25-18 victory and traded sets with the Quakers before Earlham claimed the deciding set, 15-11. Hanover moves to 18-7 overall and 5-2 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play.
Match Highlights
Hanover started strong, taking the opening set 25-18 behind 13 kills and a .200 hitting percentage. Earlham responded in the second set, overcoming a 14-kill effort from the Panthers to even the match with a 25-21 win.
The Panthers regained the lead in the third set with their most efficient offensive performance of the match. Hanover recorded 13 kills with just one error, hitting .308 to take the set 25-19. Earlham answered in the fourth, using a 17-kill performance to force a deciding fifth set with a 25-21 victory.
In the final set, Earlham pulled away to earn a 15-11 win and take the match. Hanover finished with 56 kills and 86 digs, while Earlham recorded 63 kills and 98 digs.
Molly Welborn led Hanover with 17 kills, while
Abbey McCoy added 15 and
Ryleigh Plunkitt finished with 13. Plunkitt also contributed five service aces.
Megan Vogel paced the offense with 32 assists, and
Brooke Gervers added 16. Defensively,
Madison Schicker led the Panthers with 22 digs, followed by
Natalie West with 17 and Welborn with 13.
Kinzee Dean led Hanover at the net with five block assists.
Statistical Leaders
Kills:
Molly Welborn (17, .189),
Abbey McCoy (15, .206),
Ryleigh Plunkitt (13, .233),
Kinzee Dean (8, .217)
Digs:
Madison Schicker (22),
Natalie West (17),
Molly Welborn (13),
Kaelin Quinlin (7),
Abbey McCoy (7)
Assists:
Megan Vogel (32),
Brooke Gervers (16),
Madison Schicker (2),
Natalie West (1),
Emmerson Gott (1)
Aces:
Ryleigh Plunkitt (5),
Molly Welborn (1)
Key to Victory
The deciding factors came down to offensive efficiency and the defensive effort at the net. Earlham finished with a .187 hitting percentage compared to Hanover's .163 and held advantages in kills (63-56), assists (62-52), blocks (7-5), and digs (98-86). Despite strong performances from Welborn, McCoy, and Plunkitt, Hanover was unable to close out the fifth set and secure the road victory.
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