Big Red Tripped Up by Pair of Ranked MIAA Foes – Denison University
Holland, Michigan — The Denison University women’s volleyball squad wrapped up the Hope College Tournament with a pair of losses to ranked opponents, as Hope College and Calvin University swept the Big Red. The weekend results leave Denison with a 2-5 record on the season.
Match One — Denison 0, Hope College 3
Hope opened the day with a commanding start, taking set one by a wide margin (25-12) behind a balanced attack that outran Denison 13-5 in kills. Early errors by the Big Red helped the host pull away as the frame unfolded. In the second set, Hope kept the pressure on, piling up 11 kills and five aces to push the score to 25-13.
Denison found some footing in the final frame, trading points through the first 10 rallies before Hope grabbed a late edge. A Denison kill and a service ace briefly put the score in their favor, but the Dutch surged ahead on two separate bursts, eventually leading 15-12. Denison battled back to knot the score at 16, yet a handful of attack errors and a block late in the set doomed the comeback, with Hope closing it out at 25-20.
On the stat sheet, Denison’s offense was led by a player with five kills. Amelia Kurtz and another teammate contributed four assists apiece, while Kurtz and McShane each reached double-figure digs, with McShane topping the squad with 12. McShane also stood out in serving, recording three aces, and contributed two blocks to the defensive effort.
Match Two — Denison 0, Calvin College 3
Calvin started strong, racing to a dominant set win (25-8) as Denison struggled to find its rhythm. The Knights connected on 13 kills in the opening frame, while Denison was unable to match the efficiency, suffering several attack errors that hindered any early momentum.
The Big Red regrouped in the second set, matching Calvin in term of kills (both sides notching 12), but five Denison errors undermined the comeback, leaving Calvin to claim set two 25-18.
Denison did not go quietly, building a late push in the middle portion of the match. The squad trailed 11-6 but rallied with a coordinated effort from several hitters, including two players who connected with a teammate on key swings to close the gap to a single point at one juncture. Calvin answered with a late run, reclaiming control and finishing the set at 25-22 to seal the sweep.
Offensively, a pair of Denison hitters each recorded seven kills, with one of them delivering seven on a .227 hitting percentage. The defense was anchored by a standout who posted 13 digs, while another player added 12 digs. A different contributor logged 10 assists and digs, completing a productive double-double effort in the loss.
UP NEXT
Denison returns home on Tuesday night for a 7:00 p.m. showdown against Earlham College, aiming to turn the page and snap the current skid inside Livingston Gymnasium.
