Kalamazoo, Mich. -- Despite a very short turnaround time following their five-set match at Albion College last night, the Wheaton volleyball team ended their non-conference weekend slate on a high note by defeating the Kalamazoo Hornets in straight sets this afternoon. The Thunder earned their ninth win of the season in impressive fashion, not allowing their MIAA hosts to reach the 20-point mark in any of the three sets played.
Emerson Traweek was the standout player in the win, following up her 18-kill, 17-dig showing against Albion with match-highs of 17 kills and 11 digs today, while posting a scorching attack percentage of .485.
Both teams earned four blocks on Saturday, but the Thunder held advantages in every other statistical category, including a 44-27 disparity in kills and a 5-3 edge in service aces. Wheaton saved its best hitting percentage tally for the final set with a .solid 346 showing, while Kalamazoo's highest mark also came in the final frame at just .115.
Caroline Capps led the Thunder with three aces, and the junior also registered eight kills and ten digs in a well-rounded performance.
Ashton Major posted a team-high four blocks, while
Lacey Higgins racked up 37 more assists today and also contributed nine digs.
The hosts showed good spirit in the opening frame to turn a 9-7 deficit into a 14-12 advantage, but Wheaton won four of the next five points to seize the momentum. A four-point run after edging in front at 18-17 gave the visitors the breathing room they needed to close out the first set, sealed at 25-19 via a kill from Traweek.
Wheaton jumped out to a quick 6-1 lead in the second set and kept their Michigan opponents at arm's length for the remainder of the frame. After back-to-back kills from Capps and a service ace to complete the trifecta of points, the Thunder went up 17-10 and looked to be on their way to a second set win. But Kalamazoo rattled off five straight points to make things interesting, and Wheaton needed to show some mental toughness to hold off their hosts. Three-consecutive points by the Thunder settled the nerves, and the guests ended the set with another four-point run to claim a 25-17 victory.
Wheaton got on top again early in the final frame, building a 7-2 advantage to lay the foundation for a possible sweep. Four-straight point wins in the middle of the set gave the Thunder a 12-4 lead, and from that moment on, Wheaton did not allow the Hornets to get back within five on the scoreboard. After exchanging points with Kalamazoo and maintaining their cushion, a kill by
Paris Griffin was followed by an attempt that was sent long out of bounds, and Wheaton secured a 25-16 set win to earn their first sweep since the Homecoming victory against Franklin College.
The Thunder return to King Arena on Wednesday night for their home conference finale against the Illinois Wesleyan Titans. The match is scheduled for a 7 PM start.
