The 18th-ranked Calvin University women's volleyball team split its two matches at the Mount Union Invitational on Saturday.
 
The Knights opened the day with a 3-1 (25-18, 25-23, 17-25, 25-22) loss to Marietta College before defeating University of Mount Union 3-1 (26-24, 26-24, 23-25, 25-11).
 
Match 1
 
Calvin was unable to overcome a slow start in a 3-1 defeat in the opening match to Marietta (3-0).
 
The unbeaten Pioneers started strong on the attack, hitting .314 in the first set and .324 in the second on the way to taking a 2-0 lead in the match. The Knights trailed 23-18 late in the second set before a 5-0 run tied the score 23-23, but the Pioneers were able to score a pair of kills to secure the 25-23 win.
 
The third set was close much of the way until a big rally late by the Knights that scored eight of the final nine points to cut their overall deficit to 2-1.
 
In the fourth set, Calvin once again rallied from a four-point deficit to tie the score 21-21, but this time it was Marietta with the answers late as the Pioneers scored four of the final five points to secure the set and the match.
 
Emma Ekblaw (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) and Aerin Baker (Saugatuck, Mich./Saugatuck) led the attack with 12 kills apiece, while Tryna Vander Zwaag (Holland, Mich./Holland Christian) recorded 17 assists and three service aces.
 
On defense, Lina Kasuboski (Racine, Wis./Union Grove) led the team with 20 digs. Vanessa Martinez (Hudsonville, Mich./Wyoming) finished with three blocks.
 
Match 2
 
The Knights fought back and forth throughout with host Mount Union (3-1) but finished with a dominant fourth set to secure the 3-1 win and give the Raiders their first defeat of the season.
 
Calvin (2-1) looked to be in control throughout the opening set, but the Raiders overcame three set points to tie the score 24-24 before Ekblaw was able to put the set away with the final point on a kill.
 
The second set featured several wild swings in momentum. Mount Union raced out to a seven-point lead (16-7) early, but a furious Calvin comeback put them in control with a late 24-20 lead. The Raiders once again fought back, however, saving four straight set points to tie the score 24-24 before Jasmine Namminga (Pella, Iowa/Pella Community) and Avery Ekkens (Portage, Mich./Kalamazoo Christian) recorded kills to win the Knights the final two points.
 
The Raiders were able to stay alive with a 25-23 win in the third set, but the Knights responded with a dominant 25-11 fourth set to finish off the match and the tournament. Baker recorded six kills in the fourth set as the Knights hit .481 on the attack with 16 kills against only three errors.
 
Ekkens recorded a career-best 20 kills and hit .312 on the attack to lead the Knights against the Raiders. She also finished with a career-high 21 digs to lead the team.
 
Baker hit .441 and finished with 19 kills. She was named to the All-Tournament Team after averaging 4.0 kills per set.
 
Vander Zwaag led the team with 33 assists to go with 10 digs. Martinez finished with six blocks.
 
COACH'S COMMENT: "We played a very experienced Marietta team and I thought we played really well at times," Calvin head women's volleyball coach Dr. Amber Warners said. "We need to learn how to be more consistent and play the game a little smarter. I loved how we bounced back against Mount Union. Can't wait to get back into the gym next week!"
 
NEXT UP: Calvin women's volleyball will host the two-day MIAA/NCAC Crossover Tournament on September 6-7. The Knights will open the tournament with a match against Wittenberg University at 7:00 PM on September 6.