HOUGHTON, Mich. — The Davenport University women's volleyball team concluded its Upper Peninsula road trip with a 3-0 loss to Michigan Tech on Saturday afternoon.
The Panthers recorded 48 kills, three more than the Huskies, but Michigan Tech finished with a .261 hitting percentage compared to Davenport's .240. MTU secured the match with set victories of 30-28, 25-21 and 25-23.
Davenport nearly completed a six-point comeback in the opening set after falling behind 21-15. The Panthers sided out on an MTU error before Kierra Dommer served six consecutive points to give Davenport a 22-21 lead.
The run featured a Dommer ace, kills from
Jaide Wirth and
Abby Alan, and blocks involving
Mariya Montgomery.
Karley Pretzer later delivered four kills during the closing stretch, twice putting the Panthers at set point. However, Michigan Tech scored the final two points following a 28-28 tie to claim the opening set, 30-28.
The Huskies built a 7-2 advantage early in the second set before Davenport trimmed the deficit to 9-7 behind an Alan kill, an
Amelia Werner service ace and a block from
Savanah Weathers and Montgomery.
Michigan Tech responded with four consecutive points to regain control, but the Panthers continued to battle. Back-to-back kills from Weathers pulled Davenport within three at 18-15 before a four-point run cut a 20-15 deficit to one. Weathers and Wirth recorded kills during the stretch, while Montgomery and Alan combined for a block.
Wirth later kept the set alive with a kill at 22-20, but the Huskies scored three of the final four points to take the set, 25-21, and build a 2-0 advantage in the match.
Davenport opened the third set with a 6-3 lead behind a Wirth kill, an Alan service ace and three Michigan Tech attack errors. The Huskies answered with a 9-2 run to move ahead 12-8, but kills from Weathers and Alan, followed by a
Julia Frederick ace, helped the Panthers pull even at 12-12.
After MTU regained a 13-12 advantage, Alan recorded two kills and Dommer served consecutive aces during a 5-1 Davenport run that put the Panthers ahead 17-14. Michigan Tech eventually moved back in front 21-19, but kills from Werner and Alan helped Davenport tie the set at 22-22.
Weathers delivered another kill to even the score at 23-23, but the Huskies captured the next two rallies to win the set 25-23 and complete the sweep.
Alan led Davenport with 14 kills and 16 points while hitting .382. Wirth added 11 kills with a .375 hitting percentage, while
Hayley Carr collected a team-high 19 digs. Dommer finished with 23 assists, three service aces and four digs.
The Panthers will continue GLIAC play next week, traveling to Allendale, Mich., to face Grand Valley State on Friday (Sept. 25) at 6 p.m. Davenport will then return home to host Purdue Northwest on Saturday (Sept. 26) at 3 p.m. inside the DU Student Center.
