"Hillsdale"

  After opening the season with five straight victories, the MVNC women's volleyball team finally suffered its first defeat as the Lady Cougars fell to Hillsdale (MI) College, 15-11, 8-15, 15-3, 15-12, in a non-conference match.

  The first game went back and forth as the two teams proved to be evenly matched. The Lady Chargers (2-4) finally pulled out a 15-11 win. The Lady Cougars (5-1) reponded by taking the second game 15-8, but Hillsdale roared back with a 15-3 victory in the third game.

  MVNC took an early 7-2 lead in the fourth game, hoping to send the match to a fifth and deciding game. However, the Lady Chargers battled back to take the game and match 15-12.

  "They (Hillsdale) are a very big team with some very aggressive servers," said MVNC head coach Paul Swanson. "They rotated in three six-foot-one middle hitters and blocked the ball extremely well. This was a very competitive match, and the team learned from it."

  Tara Seiter led the team with 14 kills while also recording three aces. Mandy Metzger added a team-high five aces, and Christa DeLorenzo and Rachel Widener each finished with seven kills.

  The Lady Cougars will be back in action this weekend as they travel to the Aquinas (MI) College Invitational Tournament. They will face the host school, Aquinas, Grace (IN) College, Robert Morris (PA) College, and Mid-Ohio Conference foe, the University of Rio Grande, in the two-day round robin tournament.