Lexington, Ky. – The Transylvania volleyball team clawed for most of the night before eventually pulling away from the Hanover College Panthers in four sets for a pivotal win on Wednesday evening at the Beck Center.
The first three sets were all decided by two points as the Pioneers captured a thrilling 25-27, 30-28, 26-24, 25-18 win over the Panthers to move to 5-1 in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference play and 16-11 overall. Hanover dropped its second match of the HCAC schedule to fall a game back of Transy and Earlham at 4-2 in conference and 12-9 overall.
The match came down to the closing moments of the first three sets, all of which were up for grabs and provided a plethora of anxious junctures and clutch scores from each side.
The Pioneers enjoyed massive offensive performances from multiple players, keyed by Suzanne Klosterman's season-high 14 kills. Grace Ward registered a match-high 31 assists and was followed by 24 assists from Makayla Davis.
Each team had a chance to serve for set point in the opening set before the final dagger; Hanover staved off a 24-25 deficit and scored three straight points to put away the Pioneers for an encouraging start to its evening.
Transylvania bounced back quickly using fierce digging on the way to a 6-1 outburst to begin the second set. Hanover was not deterred, swinging back to tie up the set at 7-7. The set saw 16 ties and seven lead changes as the teams danced deep into the second set and beyond.
Transy served for set point at 24-23 and 25-24 before Hanover appeared primed to close out the Pioneers again with two straight points for a 26-25 advantage. The Panthers gave the game back to Transy with a service error and the Pioneers used a Davis kill to register another set point opportunity at 27-26. The Panthers would not let the Pioners break away, tying up the set at 27-27 and 28-28.
Transylvania had the final word, forcing a Hanover error followed by a Cate Scheper kill to collect its first arduous set of the night.
The Pioneers increased their quality of play in the third set, eventually building a 16-10 advantage behind back-to-back kills from Kayden Holcomb. Hanover once again refused to quit, scoring six straight points to pull within one at 17-16, but the Pioneers answered with three of the next four points. The Panthers completed their climb all the way back, tying up the set at 23-all and two points later again at 24-all. Holcomb struck again with another timely kill and Madison Sweeney and Karrington Jackson forced a final denial at the net to give the Pioneers a huge boost going into the fourth set.
With three hard-fought sets in the rearview mirror and two straight set victories, the Pioneers' rhythm was fully unlocked. Leading 14-12, Transylvania scored seven straight points as Davis delivered three aces in a row to put the game out of reach, eventually crafting a 24-13 lead. Hanover staved off match point five straight times, but the Pioneers' final cushion was plenty as they took the final set, 25-18.
Six different Pioneers had seven kills or more while Ava Beltsos led the Pioneers in digs with a career-high 26.
Transylvania continues its latest homestand this Saturday, October 23 at home with a tri-match, hosting the Manchester University Spartans at 1:00 p.m., followed by a contest between Manchester and the Asbury University Eagles at 3:00 p.m., and a 5:00 p.m. game between Transylvania and Asbury at the Beck Center.
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