HANOVER v SPALDING
Hanover College suffered a disappointing 3-1 loss to Spalding University (26-24, 27-25, 13-25, 25-22) on September 9, 2026, at Collier Arena in Hanover, Indiana. The Panthers battled throughout the match but came up just short in two critical opening sets, falling to 3-2 on the season.
Match Highlights
The Panthers finished with 47 kills on 169 attacks and a .124 hitting percentage, edging Spalding's 44 kills and .108 hitting percentage. Despite the statistical advantage, Hanover struggled to turn those numbers into a victory, particularly in the first two sets.
Hanover dropped the opening set 26-24 despite matching Spalding with 10 kills. The second set was even more frustrating, as the Panthers fell 27-25 after recording 9 kills and hitting -.023. Hanover had opportunities to take control early but entered the third set down 0-2.
The Panthers responded exactly as they needed to in the third set, dominating 25-13 while hitting an impressive .313 with 13 kills and only 3 errors. However, Spalding answered in the fourth, holding off Hanover 25-22 to end the comeback attempt.
Ryleigh Plunkitt led Hanover with 13 kills while hitting .313, while Abbey McCoy and Molly Welborn each recorded 11 kills. Welborn also provided a strong serving performance with 4 aces, while Kinzee Dean added 2.
Defensively, Madison Schicker led the Panthers with 15 digs, followed by Molly Welborn with 12 and Natalie West and Brooke Gervers with 11 apiece. Hanover finished with 72 digs, but Spalding recorded 76.
At the net, Hanover recorded 9 blocks, led by Willow Morgan with 3. Ryleigh Plunkitt and Kinzee Dean each added 2 blocks. Spalding, however, finished with a significant 15-9 advantage in blocks, helping the Golden Eagles withstand Hanover's offensive push.
Statistical Leaders
Kills: Ryleigh Plunkitt 13 (.313), Abbey McCoy 11 (.067), Molly Welborn 11 (.135), Willow Morgan 4 (.200), Emmerson Gott 3
Digs: Madison Schicker (15), Molly Welborn (12), Natalie West (11), Brooke Gervers (11)
Assists: Megan Vogel (17), Brooke Gervers (14), Madison Schicker (3)
Aces: Molly Welborn (4), Kinzee Dean (2), Brooke Gervers (1)
Blocks: Willow Morgan (3), Ryleigh Plunkitt (2), Kinzee Dean (2)
Key to the Match
The biggest difference came down to Hanover's inability to close out the first two sets. The Panthers held advantages in kills (47-44), aces (8-5), and hitting percentage (.124-.108), but Spalding's 15-9 advantage in blocks and 76-72 edge in digs helped the Golden Eagles escape with the victory. After finally finding its rhythm with a dominant third set, Hanover couldn't carry that momentum into the fourth, falling 25-22 and leaving the Panthers with a frustrating 3-2 record.