UOlivet wins five-set thriller over Siena Heights

OLIVET, Mich. – Freshman Payton Smith recorded 22 kills to lead The University of Olivet women's volleyball team to a thrilling five-set win over Siena Heights University this evening inside the Cutler Event Center. After the Comets won the first two sets (25-17, 25-23), the Saints won the next two sets (25-21, 25-13) to force a fifth set. Olivet then won the deciding set, 15-7.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Olivet defeated Siena Heights 25-17, 25-23, 21-25, 13-25, 15-7
• Location: Cutler Event Center; Olivet, Michigan
• Records: Olivet 2-6 overall, Siena Heights 4-6 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Comets led by three points, 8-5, early in the first set. The Saint fought back to close the gap to a single point, 12-11. Olivet answered with a 9-3 run to create some separation, 21-14. Olivet went on to win the set, 25-17. For the set, the Comets had 19 kills compared to six for Siena Heights.
• The Saints scored the first five points of the second set. Olivet battled back to even the score at 6-6 and 7-7. Siena Heights regained the lead and held it until the Comets tied the score twice at 19-19 and 20-20. The Comets took their first lead of the set, 21-20. The Saints scored the next point, but Olivet responded with a point to make the score 22-21. Siena Heights used a kill and ace to go up by one, 23-22. Following a timeout, the Comets had three straight kills, including the final two by Smith to win the set, 25-23.
• In the third set, the Comets built a four-point cushion, 7-3. An 8-0 Saint run made the score 11-7. Olivet was able to trim its deficit down to two points but no closer for the rest of the set.
• The Comets led 5-2 in the fourth set. Six straight points put Siena Heights ahead by three points, 8-5. Olivet did not recover from the deficit, losing the set, 25-13.
• Smith started the fifth set with back-to-back kills. Two Saint kills leveled the score before two Comet kills put them ahead, 4-2. Siena Heights scored the next point. Olivet answered with four straight kills to take an 8-3 lead when the teams traded sides of the court. The Comets held onto the lead for the remainder of the set. For the set, Olivet slammed down 12 kills with zero errors on 24 attempts for a sizzling .500 attack percentage.

FOR THE COMETS

• For the match, Olivet totaled 65 kills to go along with 224 attack attempts, which is fourth-most since the 2003 season and 125 digs, which ties for the seventh-most since 2003.
• Smith's 22 kills led all players in the match.
• Junior Julia Hall tallied 10 kills, followed by seniors Morgan Good and Violet Porter with nine apiece, and freshman Hailey Day with eight.
• Sophomore Jordyn Smith recorded 51 set assists.
• Senior Jaydn Cary collected 35 digs to tie for the sixth-most since the 2003 season.
• Four other players reached double figures in digs – 23 by junior Olivia Still, 20 by Smith and 17 each for sophomore Ashlynn Giannunzio and junior Kaylee McDaniel.

UP NEXT

• Olivet plays a non-conference match next Tuesday, September 16, at Kalamazoo College. The first serve at the Anderson Athletic Center is scheduled for 6:30 p.m.