ADRIAN, Mich. - The Adrian College women's volleyball team overcame a late rally by Kalamazoo to win in five sets (25-13, 18-25, 25-12, 27-29, 15-8) on a record-setting night at the Merillat Sports and Fitness Center. 

Marisa Dion set a single-game school record for assists with 56 and Olivia Welch sits firmly in the third-best single season service aces slot with 44.

THE BASICS

Final Score: Adrian 3, Kalamazoo 2 (25-13, 18-25, 25-12, 27-29, 15-8)

Location: Adrian, Michigan (MSFC)

Record: Adrian (14-10, 8-4), Kalamazoo (9-16, 2-11)

HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bulldogs jumped out to a quick 1-0 lead by winning the first set 25-13.

• The Hornets would respond, tying the match with a 25-18 victory in set two.

• Adrian would take a 2-1 lead and be positioned to finish the match after winning the third set 25-12. However, Kalamazoo would climb to a five-point lead in the fourth set, 14-9, before the Bulldogs would rally back to tie the set at 24. Both teams would trade points to bring the game to a 27-27 tie before the Hornets would score two straight points to win the set 29-27 and force a deciding fifth set.

• Adrian dominated in the final stanza and pull away to earn the 3-2 victory after winning the set 15-8.

TOP DOGS

• Margo Joubran led the Bulldogs with 21 kills and a season-high 21 digs to earn her 12th double-double of the season.

• Welch also tallied a double-double, her ninth of the season, with 12 kills and a team-high 25 digs. She also recorded four services aces to bring her season total to 44, third-highest season total in school history.

• Cassadine Reed (12 kills) and Sydney Martines (10 kills) also chipped in offensively. Reed tallied four block assists to bring her season total to 78, a career-high. Martines also had four block assists.

• Dion paced the offense with 56 assists, a new school record for single-game assists. She also contributed on defense with 12 digs.

• Haley Mellon had a match-high 30 digs and Savannah Monette tallied 20 to bring the total number of Adrian players with double-digit digs to five.

• Jenai White had a team-high five block assists.

THE OPPOSITION

• Sidney Wall led Kalamazoo with a double-double in kills (11) and block assists (11).

• Shamari Browning also tallied 10 kills.

• Paige Johnson recorded 33 assists and 21 digs along with two service aces.

• Dana DeVito led the team in digs with 26. Four other Hornets had double-digit digs for the match.

MIAA STANDINGS

• With the win, Adrian improves to 8-4 in the MIAA and remains tied with St. Mary's for the third spot in the conference standings.

• Kalamazoo drops to 2-11 to be tied with Trine at the bottom of the league.

• With four league games remaining on the schedule, the Bulldogs maintain the momentum to take possession of the third spot.

UP NEXT

• Adrian travels tomorrow to face Alma at 2:00 p.m. The Bulldogs defeated the Scots at home earlier this season in three straight sets.