Valpo U Volleyball Pulls Off Big Rally for Win at Belmont

Volleyball Pulls Off Big Rally for Win at Belmont

Disregard whatever minute percentage might have been appended to Valpo’s chances of winning Saturday night’s match in Nashville trailing two sets to one and 23-17 in the fourth set. After all, this squad still has that Valpo Volleyball DNA. The Beacons pulled off a tremendous 9-1 run to extend the match and then blitzed the Bruins in the fifth set to emerge victorious, 3-2 (24-26, 26-24, 21-25, 26-24, 15-4).

How It Happened

–          Valpo controlled much of the first half of the fourth set and led 13-12 at the halfway mark. It was still even up at 17-17 before a 6-0 run for the home team gave Belmont a 23-17 lead.

–          Two points away from defeat, the Beacons showed they would not go down easily. Freshmen Jessica Pickett (Carmel, Ind./Carmel) and Drew Glaser (Edwardsburg, Mich./Edwardsburg) combined on a block to return the serve to Valpo, and sophomore Mara Thomas (Bogart, Ga./Athens Academy) stepped back to the service line.

–          Thomas started her service run with an ace, and her run at the line kept the Bruins off balance, allowing the Beacons to string together a run to even up the frame at 23-23.

–          Belmont got a kill at 23-23 to earn a match point at 24-23, but senior Elise Swistek (LaPorte, Ind./New Prairie) answered with a kill to force extra points. Swistek then stepped back to the service line, served up an ace to give the Beacons set point and a Belmont attack error on the next point sent the match to the fifth set.

–          Swistek recorded a kill on Belmont’s serve to open the fifth set, and Valpo head coach Carin Avery set her initial rotation to have the hot hand serving to start the frame. Thomas subbed in and proceeded to serve seven points in a row, including two kills apiece from Swistek and freshman Ava Helming (Johnston, Iowa/Johnston) as well as a service ace, to put the Beacons up 8-0 at the changeover.

–          Belmont scored the next three points to close to within five, but Swistek notched a kill to quell the momentum and then served up five straight from the service line — including a kill and a block apiece by Pickett and freshman Jordyn Gove (Amarillo, Texas/Randall).

–          With a plethora of match point chances, the Beacons converted on their second opportunity, as Pickett recorded a kill to finish off the comeback.

–          The first two sets on Saturday both required extra points. Valpo led as late as 23-22 in the opener before consecutive points gave the Bruins set point at 24-23. The Beacons were able to extend the set once, but back-to-back Belmont points gave the hosts the opener.

–          After the first set featured 14 ties and seven lead changes, the second frame had 11 ties and five lead changes. In a mirror image of the opening set, it was Belmont with a 23-22 edge before Glaser and Swistek came up with consecutive kills to give Valpo set point. A Belmont kill forced extra points, but first Pickett and then Helming came up with terminations to even the match.

–          Belmont forced a Valpo timeout in set three after scoring six of the first seven points. The Bruins extended their lead to eight points late at 21-13, and while Valpo closed to within two at 23-21, Belmont was able to close out the set.

Inside the Match

–          Between the fourth and fifth sets, Valpo closed out the match on a 24-5 run.

–          It was the program’s first win after facing a match point since scoring the final three points of the match after trailing 14-13 in the fifth set against South Alabama Sept. 4, 2021.

–          Saturday was the Beacons’ first win since trailing after three sets since last November against Bradley.

–          The 15-4 win in the fifth set was Valpo’s largest fifth-set win since a 15-2 final-frame win at Illinois State Feb. 22, 2021.

–          Eight of Valpo’s 21 matches this season have gone the full five sets — the Beacons are an even 4-4 in those matches.

–          Thomas served five straight points in the fourth set to bring Valpo from down five points to even, and then was on the service line for seven straight points in the fifth set.

–          The sophomore ended the night with a double-double, posting 25 assists and 10 digs, and also racked up four service aces — tied for fourth-most by a Valpo player in a five-set match in the 25-point era.

–          Led by Thomas’ prowess at the service line, the Beacons tallied 14 service aces on Saturday — the most in a five-set match since 1996 and tied for second-most in any length match in the 25-point era.

–          Swistek and junior Emma Hickey (Granger, Ind./Penn) matched their respective career best with three aces apiece on Saturday.

–          Swistek led Valpo in the kills department as well with 17 kills, posted a double-double with 10 digs and tied her season high with four blocks.

–          Helming was right behind Swistek with 16 kills and finished with a .452 hitting percentage, her season best with at least 10 kills.

–          Glaser posted a season high in the kills department with 11 kills as well.

–          Hickey recorded a team-best 21 digs.

–          Pickett had a match-high eight blocks, tying her second-highest output of the season, while junior Maddie Moan (Woodstock, Ill./Woodstock [Milwaukee]) matched her career best with five rejections as Valpo finished with 13 team blocks.

Next Up

Valpo (12-9, 4-5 MVC) returns home to the ARC next weekend, hosting Bradley on Friday at 6 p.m. and Illinois State on Saturday at 5 p.m.