DC Volleyball Earns a Split in Day One of Rose-Hulman Invite

TERRE HAUTE, Ind. – The Yellow Jacket volleyball team traveled to Terre Haute this weekend for the Rose-Hulman Invitational. Defiance recorded both a win and a loss during the first day of action on Saturday against Webster and DePauw.

DC played the Webster Gorloks in the first match of the day at 1:00 p.m. The Purple and Gold won the match in three closely contested sets. The Yellow Jackets won the first set by a score of 25-20 and built on the solid start to claim the second set with a score of 25-23. The Gorloks put up a fight in the third and final set, but Defiance came away with the victory by a score of 26-24. The straight-set victory was the Jackets second of the season.

The Purple and Gold attack was led by sophomore Alicia Kalik and junior Alexis Pierce in match one. Kalik totaled 31 assists and an ace, while Pierce posted game highs in kills with nine and blocks with three. Kalik's 31 assists marks the third time the sophomore has accumulated 30 or more assists in a match this season. The Jackets' defense was anchored by junior Christa Seidenstricker and senior Lindsay McDaniel, who each produced 19 digs.

Defiance faced much stiffer competition in the second match of the afternoon against the DePauw Tigers. The Jackets were unable to replicate the success of the first match and fell to the Tigers in straight sets by scores of 25-20, 25-21 and 25-15.

Despite the defeat, the Yellow Jackets had one of its best serving matches of the season, as Defiance registered six aces, led by McDaniel with three. Other notable DC performers were Pierce and Chelsea Ludeman, who had 12 and nine kills respectively.

The split moves the Yellow Jackets' record to 4-2 on the year.

The Purple and Gold is back in action on Sunday, September 9 for the second and final day of the Rose-Hulman Invitational. The Jackets' first contest of the day will be against Millikin and is scheduled to begin at 11:00 a.m. followed by a match against Centre at 1:00 p.m.