UOlivet wins two matches, finishes 3-0 at Grove City Invitational

GROVE CITY, Pa. – The University of Olivet men's volleyball team won two matches at the Grove City (Pa.) College Invitational held inside the GCC Arena. The Comets beat the host Wolverines in four sets before rallying to beat Randolph College (Va.) in five sets. With the two wins, Olivet posted a perfect 3-0 record at the GCC Invitational.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Olivet defeated Grove City 29-31, 25-20, 25-22, 25-22
• Location: Grove City College Arena; Grove City, Pennsylvania
• Records: Olivet 3-7 overall, Grove City 5-6 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Comets and Wolverines traded the first eight points to create four tied scores. After a 4-4 tie, Olivet scored the next two points before stretching its lead to as many as five points, 13-8. GCC fought back to tie the score on four occasions. After the fourth time at 23-23, the Wolverines used a Comet attack error to go ahead for the first time in the set. Both teams fought off set points to extend the match, and the Wolverines used an ace to win the set, 31-29.
• Early in the second set, Olivet built a three-point cushion, 8-5. GCC battle back and took an 11-10 lead. The Wolverines extended their advantage to two points, 14-12, before a 4-1 Comet run made the score 16-15. The score was back-and-forth, with a couple tied scores and lead changes. Olivet seized a two-point lead, 20-18, and held on to win the set, 25-20.
• The Comets scored the first three points of the third set. Olivet pushed its lead to five points twice at 10-5 and 11-6. The Wolverines clawed their way back to make it a two-point difference several times but never got any closer.
• Except for three tied scores to begin the fourth set, the Comets had a wire-to-wire lead. Olivet led by as many as eight points, 18-10. Late in the set, GCC trimmed its deficit down to one point before a Wolverine attack error and Olivet kill ended the set.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet finished the match with 45 kills compared to 34 for GCC. Olivet also had a higher hitting percentage, .143 to .064.
• Sophomore Silas Martin slammed down 14 kills, followed by freshman Jared Carter with 10.
• Freshman Micah Stine tallied eight kills.
• Martin registered four blocks (three solo and one assisted).
• Freshman Austin Chamblee recorded 34 set assists.
• Junior Andy Hok and senior Matthew Tollar each had eight digs.

THE BASICS

• Final Score: Olivet defeated Randolph 17-25, 25-10, 21-25, 25-23, 15-11
• Location: Grove City College Arena; Grove City, Pennsylvania
• Records: Olivet 4-7 overall, Randolph 7-3 overall

HOW IT HAPPENED

• Randolph led the first set from start-to-finish.
• In the second set, the WildCats jumped out to a 3-1 lead. The teams traded 3-0 runs to keep the differential at two points. Olivet scored the next point on a kill. Freshman Jared Carter then stepped to the service line and helped the Comets score the next seven points to take a 12-6 lead. Olivet then ended the set on a 13-4 run to win it 25-10.
• The WildCats led by a 6-3 score in the third set. The Comets used a 4-0 spurt to go up, 7-6. From there, neither team held a lead of more than two points until Randolph strung together a 4-0 run to turn an 18-17 deficit into a 21-18 lead. Olivet closed the gap to a point, 21-20, before the WildCats ended the set by scoring four of the final five points.
• In the fourth set, Randolph built a five-point cushion on three occasions. Following the third time at 12-7, the Comets went on a 4-0 spurt. The WildCats scored three of the next four points for a 15-12 lead. Olivet countered with an 8-1 run to gain a 20-16 lead. Randolph trimmed the Comet lead down to one point twice, 23-22 and 24-23. A kill by sophomore Payton Hastings ended the set in Olivet's favor and forced a deciding set.
• The teams traded the first six points to cause tied scores at 1-1, 2-2 and 3-3. The Comets then put five straight points on the scoreboard to take an 8-3 lead. Olivet extended its lead to seven points before the WildCats were able to cut their deficit down to three points, 14-11. Another Hastings' kill closed out the set and match.

FOR THE COMETS

• Olivet totaled 59 kills, tying for the fifth-most in UOlivet history in a match, regardless of number of sets, and tying for the second-most in a five-set match.
• Martin recorded a team-best 15 kills, followed by Carter with 13 and Aiden Chamblee with 10.
• Hastings and freshman Hayden Olson each tallied eight kills.
• Austin Chamblee recorded 49 set assists.
• Tollar collected 12 digs, followed by Austin Chamblee, Hok and Martin with nine apiece.

UP NEXT

• The Comets open Midwest Collegiate Volleyball League play next Thursday, February 12, on the road at Calvin University. The first serve is set for 7 p.m. from Van Noord Arena.