Volleyball team splits two matches at Calvin's Midwest Invitational

The Olivet College volleyball team split two matches today at the Calvin College Midwest Invitational in Grand Rapids. The Comets began the day with a three-game win (30-23, 30-25, 30-25) over North Park (Ill.) University and then fell to Hanover (Ind.) College in five games (31-33, 30-13, 30-22, 29-30, 15-10).

Against North Park, freshmen Mackenzie Heator (Union City) and Sydney Kuipers (Charlotte) shared team-high honors with 13 kills apiece. Heator hit .478 with two attack errors in 23 attempts. Freshman Kim Travis (Shepherd) was next with five kills. Sophomore Jessica Petkus (Milford) topped the team with 41 set assists, while sophomore Meghan Smith (Rochester Hills/Adams) led the defense with 23 digs.

Against Hanover, Kuipers recorded 21 kills, followed by senior Katie Schaum (Marshall) with 13 and Heator with 11. Petkus tallied 56 set assists on 61 kills for Olivet. Kuipers and Smith finished with 20 digs each.

The Comets will next participate in the 2005 Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association (MIAA) Tournament. Olivet, the #8 seed, hosts Kalamazoo College, the #9 seed, in the tournament's play-in match on Monday, Oct. 31, at 7 p.m. The winner advances to Tuesday night's first round at top-seed Hope College at 7:30 p.m.