UNIVERSITY CENTER, Mich. - The Dragons won the first two sets for the second day in a row and took care of business in the fourth as Tiffin (12-14, 8-8 GLIAC) won a critical match 3-1 (25-21, 25-22, 16-25, 25-23) over Saginaw Valley (12-11, 7-9 GLIAC) Sunday afternoon at University Center, Mich.
The Dragons outhit the Cardinals .221-.181, including setting the tone with a .324-.179 hitting percentage in the first set. Tiffin, as they have done numerous times all season, outblocked its opponent 7-5. Individually, Danielle McQuade had 13 kills while Brooke Bernabei narrowly missed a double-double with 10 kills and nine digs. Jessica Adams had 38 assists and libero Lindsay Heller added 17 digs. Coming off the bench, Jordan Jenkins contributed 13 digs.
Annie Buxton led the Cardinals with 14 kills and seven digs, while Jessica Treiber had 13 kills. Sam Breault had 48 of 50 assists for Saginaw Valley while Laura Ward had 22 digs.
Saginaw Valley looked like they were getting separation in the first set when a Treiber kill put them up 19-17, but Tiffin countered and went up by one thanks to a Bernabie kill, an assisted block by Brittany Teaford and Bernabei and a setting error on Brault for the Cardinals. An unassisted kill by Saginaw Valley retied the match, but a Cardinal attack error and kills by McQuade and Teaford put Tiffin up three and all but ended the set. Bernabei had a service error bring the Cardinals within two, but an attack error by SVSU and a kill by Adams off of McQuade's dig ended the first set.
Tiffin held on for the win in the second set after jumping out to a lead as big as seven. With Tiffin holding on to an 8-6 lead, a service error put Jenkins on serve. An attack error by Saginaw Valley and an assisted block by Adams and Teaford put the Dragons up five. Saginaw Valley won three of the next five, but another 3-0 run put Tiffin up seven. A Teaford kill put herself on serve, and a kill by Adams off the dig and a Cardinal attack error put the Dragons up 16-9. Both teams traded sideouts until 22-16, when a 6-1 run brought the home team within one. However, Tiffin won on its serve for the second straight set to take a 2-0 lead. McQuade recorded a kill to put TU on set point and a critical ace by Adams ended the frame.
The Dragons took an early lead in the third, but the Cardinals tied the match at 11 and ended the set by scoring 14 of the final 19 points for nine-point win.
In the fourth, it was a strong rally that gave Tiffin the 3-1 win. A Buxton kill put the home team ahead 19-16, but she answered with an attack error to put Tiffin on serve down two. A solo block by Margaret Betz, a Betz kill and a SVSU error put Tiffin up 20-19. The Cardinals too two of the next three to tie the match at 21, but a McQuade and Giavanna DiPietro kill put Tiffin up for good. After trading sideouts, SVSU was able to repel the first set point on a Buxton kill, but the Cardinals 28th attack error on the day ended the match.
Tiffin returns to action Tuesday when it travels to Ohio Dominican for a 7 pm contest. TU then returns home Friday night when it takes on Lake Erie. First serve is 7 p.m.
