August 25, 2008
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Pioneers Open Season With Four Tightly-Contested Losses At Texas TournamentThe Malone College volleyball team traveled to Brownsville, Texas over the weekend to begin their 2008 campaign with four matches at the University of Texas at Brownsville’s South Padre Island Volleyball Challenge. Three of the Pioneers’ four opponents at the weekend tournament are currently ranked in the NAIA Pre-season Top 25 Coaches’ Poll and although Malone kept each match close, the squad came up just short in all four contests.
The Pioneers began play on Friday with a 23-25, 24-26, 30-32 loss to NAIA No. 20 Dordt (IA) College before later falling to NAIA No. 13 Morningside (IA) College by a 22-25, 18-25, 24-26 final. On Saturday, Malone dropped an 18-25, 22-25, 22-25 decision to NAIA No. 23 Olivet Nazarene (IL) University early in the day and then later lost a hard-fought, five-set contest to Briar Cliff (IA) University by a final tally of 19-25, 25-20, 25-17, 23-25, 11-15.
In Friday’s opener against Dordt, sophomore outside hitter Jennifer Gahagan (Ravenna Southeast H.S.) and freshman right side hitter Megan Fisher (Perry H.S.) paced the Pioneer attack as Gahagan tallied a team-high 10 kills to go with six digs while Fisher posted seven kills and four blocks. Junior Alyssa Dibell (Fairless H.S.) and freshman Hannah Riley (Minerva H.S.) each registered six digs and shared the setting duties as Dibell notched 16 assists with Riley adding 12. Freshman defensive specialist Nicole Lecon (Dalton H.S.) posted two service aces and a team-best eight digs. Junior middle hitter Erica Gann (Meadowbrook H.S.) contributed six total blocks (one solo) and sophomore outside hitter Lori Ickes (Smithville H.S.) chipped in with two service aces.
In Friday’s contest with Morningside, Gahagan again led the way with 13 kills and 14 digs. Gann followed with eight kills while Riley dished out 19 assists and scooped up eight digs. Other important contributors in the three-set defeat included Ickes with eight digs and junior middle hitter Kristen Schoolcraft (McKinley H.S.) with eight total blocks (one solo).
Against Olivet Nazarene on Saturday morning, Gahagan and Ickes each registered eight kills and nine digs apiece. Gann followed with seven kills, Lecon posted eight digs and senior setter Bethany Thompson (Tusc. Central Catholic H.S.) recorded a team-high 14 assists in the narrow loss to the Tigers.
In Saturday’s finale against Briar Cliff, Ickes tallied 16 kills and 12 digs. Gahagan and sophomore right side hitter Emily Beiting (Fort Thomas, KY) each ripped 12 kills with Gahagan also scooping up 15 digs. Other important contributors in the five-set defeat included Schoolcraft with 12 blocks (two solo), Gann with nine kills, Dibell with 48 assists, and senior defensive specialist Julie Finley (Western Reserve H.S.) with 16 digs.
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