MILWAUKEE – Mount Mary University Volleyball hosted both Alverno and Grinnell tonight at the Bloechl Center in a Friday night doubleheader. The visiting Inferno (3-14) took the first match 3-1 over the Blue Angels (2-6), then the Pioneers (5-7) took the finale against MMU 3-0.
In their most effective set of the night, the Blue Angels came from behind Alverno 11-6 to get six team kills along with six team errors in the set. The first rally got started when Marissa Tun (Jr./Greenfield, Wis.) set up Lauren Harris (So./Sheridan, Ill.) for an overhand kill. As Melanie Coffey (Fr./Cedarburg, Wis.) and Alyssa Nelson (Jr./Rockford, Ill.) got the offense set from the service line, the Blue Angels came back to win the set 25-22.
In the second set, MMU held the lead early on, but a rally started by Sam Korn of Alverno took a 12-8 lead by MMU to a 25-19 winning set for the Inferno. The come-from-behind set stemmed from seven team kills for Alverno coupled with six team errors by the Blue Angels.
The Inferno took the last two sets 25-14 and 25-16 respectively on their way to the win.
Blue Angel Lauren Harris led the offensive strike in the first game with six kills on 26 total attacks and one service ace. Teammate Rachel Barker (Jr./Milwaukee, Wis.) led the defensive side with two block solos. Barker's three kills off of six attacks was all the more helpful playing just two of the four sets.
The Pioneers were anxious for their first game of the weekend as they jumped out to a quick lead and a runaway 25-10 set. Grinnell attacked accurately with 11 team kills off of 32 attacks and four errors in the set.
The Blue Angels put up their best set of the match in the second. MMU came back from an early deficit to tie things at 8-8 and eventually lead 10-8. Then the Pioneers went on seven point run for the lead. MMU continued to apply the pressure, but Grinnell won the second set 25-17.
Grinnell took the final set 25-13 getting eight team kills off of 32 total attacks. Sidney Litke and Christine Hood led the game with three service aces each on their way to team win number five for the Pioneers.
Harris led the offense in the second game with three kills of off 31 total attacks and two service aces. Teammate Adrianna Nester (Fr./Anaheim, Calif.) hit an accurate .375 kill percentage with three kills, zero errors on eight total attacks.
The Blue Angels will head to Alverno to play Beloit tomorrow at the Reiman Gymnasium. The game on Sat. Sept. 24 will begin at 12:00 pm courtesy of the Alverno Sports Network. Links to live stats and video will be available at mtmaryathletics.com.
