TU Takes Down Cougars in Crossroads League Action
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SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – In a five-set thriller, Taylor (11-14, 6-8 CL) grabbed the victory over Spring Arbor on Wednesday. An even match fell the way of the Trojans, as they won their eleventh contest of the season.
TU barely edged Spring Arbor (16-8, 7-7 CL) in the first and fourth sets. Neither team could gain a significant advantage in the opening set, as the score came to a tie eight different times. Nikki Parrett and Amanda Adams stepped up to push the set in favor of the Trojans. Parrett provided three service aces, while Adams slammed four kills, including the set-winner. Taylor came out stronger in the fourth set, gaining a small lead at 8-4. The Cougars fought back, resulting in another eight ties. Freshman hitter Nicki Sechrist supplied the offense with five kills to help TU force a fifth set.
Senior captain Haley Harrell put together a great night orchestrating the Taylor offense. Recently tallying her 3,000th assist, the experienced setter logged 44 assists, including eight assists in the crucial final set.
The second and third sets were a struggle for the Trojans, as they were unable to keep up with the Cougars. 31 kills from Spring Arbor outpaced Taylor by 12 between the two sets. The TU squad could not find its rhythm until Adams posted three-consecutive kills in the third set but it was too late to complete the comeback.
The fifth set resembled the first and fourth sets for the Trojans, as a close-knit battle ensued. With the score even at 5-5, the Purple and Gold jumped out on a 9-1 run with three different TU attackers grabbing a pair of kills. Adams once again finished the set with a match-winner, landing 16 kills on the match.
The Taylor defense was dominant with three Trojans collecting double-digit digs, including Samantha Korn, Haley Harrell and Ashley Harrell. Finishing with 30 digs, Korn posted her third 30-dig effort on the season.
Julia Pomerenke and Grace Isaacs provided a strong attack from the middle on Wednesday. Pomerenke hit a career-high 13 kills and did so efficiently, holding a .375 hitting percentage. Isaacs was also extremely efficient with a .389 hitting percentage to go along with her nine kills.
The Purple and Gold will return to action for the Indiana Tech Tournament, beginning with a match against Indiana Tech (12-11) at 2:00 pm and Madonna (16-6) at 4:00 pm on Friday.
