UOlivet opens season with four-set loss to Wittenberg

LEXINGTON, Ky. – The University of Olivet women's volleyball team fell to Wittenberg (Ohio) University in three sets today for its season-opening match at the Clive M. Beck Center. The match was the first of three for the Comets at the Transylvania University Invitational.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Wittenberg defeated Olivet 25-14, 25-16, 22-25, 25-7
• Location: Clive M. Beck Center; Lexington, Kentucky
• Records: Olivet 0-1 overall, Wittenberg 1-1 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• In the first set, the Tigers used a 9-0 run to turn a 10-8 deficit into a 17-10 lead. Wittenberg closed the set with another scoring burst, 8-4, to win it 25-14.
• The Tigers had a wire-to-wire lead in the second set, claiming a 25-16 win.
• Wittenberg built a 5-3 lead in the third set. The Comets used a service error, kill and service ace to go up 6-5. Olivet pushed its advantage to two points on a couple occasions before the Tigers evened the score at 12-12. The Comets scored five straight points to go up 17-12. Wittenberg countered with 10-2 run for a 22-19 lead. Olivet put the final six points on the scoreboard to win the set, 25-22. During the run, the Comets had four kills by four different players.
• In the fourth set, the Tigers raced out to a 15-3 lead and never looked back.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet ended the match with 30 kills, including seven by freshman Payton Smith.
• Freshman Hailey Day had six kills, followed by senior Morgan Good and junior Julia Hall with five apiece.
• Junior Grace Grew and sophomore Jordyn Smith split time at setter and tallied 12 and 10 assists, respectively.
• Senior Jaydn Cary recorded a match-best 13 digs.

UP NEXT

• The Comets play their final two matches tomorrow at the Transylvania Invitational. Olivet faces Wartburg (Iowa) College at 11 a.m., and the host Pioneers at 5:30 p.m.