The Tiffin University volleyball team (8-5, 3-2 G-MAC) got off to a great start Friday night at the Gillmor Center against Cedarville by winning the first set but ultimately ended up falling in four sets as the visitors rallied to win the next three. Set scores were 25-12, 21-25, 24-26, 24-26.
The Dragons led from start to finish in the first set and won 10 of the first 13 points after a kill by Katelyn Owens. TU later extended that lead to 22-10 after back-to-back kills from Owens and Josie Reinhart. Cedarville would win the next two points and the Dragons closed out the first set by winning the final three, getting a kill by Kenedi Goon and a block Owens and Taylor Peterson. TU had a 16-8 advantage in kills in the opening set for a hitting percentage of .389.
The Yellow Jackets put the first set behind them and bounced back to take the second set. A key factor in the set was Cedarville's 18 kills compared to Tiffin's 12. Tied at six, Cedarville won five of the next six to take an 11-7 lead. The Dragons closed the gap a few more times, but Cedarville held onto the lead for the remainder of the set. Back-to-back kills from Peterson and Reinhart brought the Dragons within two, 23-21, but the visitors finished the set with back-to-back kills of their own.
The Dragons looked to be in a good spot in set three. A kill by Kaylee Freund put the Dragons on top 22-17, but they were unable to hang on as Cedarville rallied to win nine of the final 11 points of the set to take a two sets to one lead. Another kill by Reinhart tied it at 24 and the Yellow Jackets closed it out with a kill and service ace.
Set four was tight and featured four ties, but it was the Yellow Jackets who held the advantage for the majority of the set. Trailing 11-7, TU got a kill by Olivia Karhoff and two attack errors from Cedarville to get back within a point. CU responded in a big way, winning six of the next seven to extend the lead back to six, 17-11. The Dragons, however, didn't go down without a fight. Facing match point, TU rallied to tie it at 24 following three straight points, but were unable to force a fifth set as the Yellow Jackets got a kill and attack error from Karhoff to clinch the match.
Goon and Karhoff finished with double digit kills, finishing with 12 and 10 while Addison Conti racked up a team high 30 assists. Diana Heitkamp recorded 23 digs and Karhoff added 16.
The Dragons have a quick turnaround and will play Ohio Dominican at the Gillmor Center tomorrow at noon.
