DELAWARE, Ohio – The Calvin University women's volleyball team opened the MIAA/NCAC Challenge at Ohio Wesleyan University with a thrilling five-set win over Wittenberg University on Friday night.
 
Calvin (3-1) won the five-set match by the scores of 18-25, 25-21, 25-22, 20-25 and 15-10.
 
Wittenberg (1-3) won the opening set 25-18 after hitting .516 on the attack and looked poised to take a 2-0 overall lead with a 20-17 late in the second set, but Calvin scored the next seven points to take control and won the second set 25-21 on a kill from Sarah Bradley (Clarkston, Mich./Everest Collegiate) to tie the match 1-1.
 
Calvin continued to push forward in the important third set, building an early seven-point lead before holding off the Tigers late to win 25-22 and take a 2-1 overall lead.
 
Wittenberg responded in the fourth set with 12 kills and four blocks on the way to winning 25-20 and forcing a fifth and deciding game.
 
In the final set, the two teams traded points early before switching sides of the court with the Knights leading 8-7. The Tigers tied the score at 8-8 and 9-9 after the switch, but the Knights closed strong with the help of two service aces from Lina Kasuboski (Racine, Wis./Union Grove) and won six of the final seven points to win the set 15-10.
 
The Knights were strong on their serve throughout the match and finished with a total of 16 service aces. Kasuboski led the way with a career-best seven aces, while Grace Spoelma (Caledonia, Mich./Grand Rapids Christian) added three.
 
Aerin Baker (Saugatuck, Mich./Saugatuck) led Calvin with 16 kills and added 15 digs. Bradley recorded 11 kills, while Emma Ekblaw (Chesterton, Ind./Chesterton) and Madison Wiersema (Fremont, Mich./Western Michigan Christian/Arkansas State) each finished with seven kills and four blocks.
 
Tryna Vander Zwaag (Hamilton, Mich./Holland Christian) led the Knights with 17 digs. Delaney Kemp (Frisco, Texas/Frisco Centennial) recorded 25 assists and 16 digs.
 
NEXT UP: Calvin women's volleyball returns to action for two more matches tomorrow (Saturday, September 6) at the MIAA/NCAC Challenge. Calvin will face the hosts from Ohio Wesleyan at 12:30 PM, followed by a match against Denison University at 3:00 PM to close the tournament.