GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Davenport rallied from an opening-set loss to defeat Saginaw Valley State 3-1 (21-25, 26-24, 25-20, 25-22) on Saturday. The Panthers fought off two set points in the second set before taking the final two frames, improving to 15-7 overall and 7-5 in GLIAC play. The Cardinals fell to 15-9 overall and 7-5 in the conference.
Abby Alan reached 1,000 career kills in the victory, finishing with 14 kills on a .306 hitting percentage. Amelia Werner led the Panthers with a career-high 18 kills while hitting .452, surpassing the mark of 17 she set at Wayne State on Tuesday. Keira Dommer dished out 30 assists and contributed six digs, while Hayley Carr led the defense with 16 digs.
The Panthers jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the opening set behind kills from Alan, Savanah Weathers, Werner and Dommer. Saginaw Valley State responded to even the score at 5-5, and the teams remained close through a 12-12 tie. The Cardinals then created separation, winning three straight points and eventually extending their lead to 19-14. Davenport pulled within 23-20 on consecutive kills from Weathers and Werner, but SVSU held on for the 25-21 win.
Davenport overcame deficits of 7-2 and 19-12 in the second set to even the match. Kills from Alan and Werner, along with a Julia Frederick service ace, helped the Panthers cut the margin to 21-20 before the Cardinals moved within a point of taking a two-set lead at 24-22. Werner and Weathers answered with consecutive kills to erase both set points, and Karley Pretzer followed with back-to-back kills to cap the comeback, 26-24.
Alan and Frederick helped spark Davenport in the third set, with two Alan kills and consecutive Frederick aces helping turn an 11-9 deficit into a 14-12 advantage. After SVSU tied the score at 14-14, Alan and Werner combined for three straight kills to put the Panthers ahead for good. Davenport stretched its lead to 24-18, and Alan delivered the final kill off an assist from Dommer to secure the 25-20 victory.
The Panthers mounted another comeback in the fourth set after falling behind 7-2. Davenport chipped away at the deficit before Werner tied the score at 18-18 with a kill from Madison Berry. With the teams even again at 20-20, an SVSU attack error and a Pretzer kill gave the Panthers a two-point edge. The Cardinals closed within 23-22, but Alan's kill brought Davenport to match point before an SVSU attack error sealed the victory.
Up Next
Davenport closes out October with two home matches, hosting Lake Superior State on Oct. 30 and Parkside on Oct. 31. The Panthers will celebrate Senior Day ahead of Saturday's match against the Rangers.
