Box Score HOLLAND, Mich. – Calvin's bid for a 12th consecutive MIAA regular season championship game up short against rival Hope Saturday as the Knights dropped a five-set match in the conference finale at DeVos Fieldhouse.
The win allows sixth-ranked Hope to claim the outright MIAA crown at 8-0, with fourth-ranked Calvin second at 7-1.
Hope (22-3 overall) also gains the top seed for next week's MIAA Tournament with Calvin the No. 2 seed. Both teams will have first round byes with Hope hosting the semifinals and finals next weekend. Calvin will play in the semifinals next Friday night at DeVos Fieldhouse against the winner of a first round match between Albion and Saint Mary's. Hope will play in the second semifinal against the winner of a first round match between Adrian and Trine.
In its match at Hope on Saturday, Calvin (25-3 overall) had the MIAA regular season title in its sights as the Knights led the match 2-1 and the fourth set 18-12 and later 20-15. Hope went on a 10-2 run to end the set however, overcoming a 22-20 deficit with three straight kills, a Calvin attack error and another kill to close out the come-from-behind set win.
Calvin held an early 3-1 lead in set five but Hope wet on a 7-1 run to lead 8-4 and never looked back from that on, using a vocal home crowd to claim the win.
The match proved to be a see-saw affair with the Flying Dutch dominating the first set 25-16, limiting the Calvin attack with a .129 hitting percentage.
Calvin regained the momentum with a 25-21 set two win, using a 5-0 run late in the set to build a 19-13 lead. Hope roared back with a 7-1 run to take a 20-19 lead but a pair of clutch kills by sophomore Gabriella Kellogg (Belleville, Mich./Plymouth Christian Academy), a service ace by junior Aubrey Wrubel (Jenison, Mich./Jenison HS) and a set-ending kill by junior Heidi Westra (Clarendon Hills, Il./Timothy Christian HS) closed out the set two win for the Knights.
Calvin trailed 11-8 in set three and later 19-17 but a kill by senior Madelyn Hall (Hudsonville, Mich./Hudsonville HS) and back-to-back attack errors by Hope gave Calvin a 20-19 lead. After Hope tied the set 20-20, Calvin utilized a service error and two Flying Dutch attack errors to regain the lead. Heidi Westra and senior Kelsey Smith (Vienna, Va./Madison HS) came up with clutch kills down the stretch with Smith closing out the set with a shot down the line for the set win.
In set four, a series of attack errors and a service ace by Calvin junior Theresa Kehn (Brighton, Mich./Charyl Stockwell Preparatory School) gave Calvin an 18-12 lead before Hope mounted its comeback bid.
Gabriella Kellogg led Calvin in the attacking department with 14 kills while Smith had 12 kills and Westra 11 kills.
Senior Grace Kellogg (Belleville, Mich./Plymouth Christian Academy) had 19 digs while Wrubel had 18 assists and 16 digs. Westra had 10 digs and four block assists. Senior Anna Schriemer (Vicksburg, Mich./Vicksburg HS) had 21 assists and 10 digs.
Kehn tallied three service aces while freshman Vanessa Martinez (Hudsonville, Mich./Wyoming HS) had six block assists. Hall had nine kills, two block solos and four block assists. As a team, Calvin had 24 blocks.
COACHES COMMENT: "I thought it was a really well-fought match," said Calvin head women's volleyball coach Amber Warners. "It might not have been the best (quality) play on both sides but definitely hard-fought. Each time we gained control, Hope pushed back, didn't give in and found a way to crawl its way back into the match. Credit to Hope for doing that. For us, we just need to learn how to have more hunger when it matters."
NEXT UP: Calvin will now prepare for the MIAA Tournament semifinals next Friday at Hope against either Albion or Saint Mary's. The start time will be announced later this weekend.
