WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

The Huntington University women’s volleyball team showed tremendous fight and resilience Wednesday night, pushing #16 Indiana Wesleyan University to the limit before falling 31-33, 25-18, 25-18, 25-23 in Crossroads League action inside Platt Arena. 

The loss moves the Foresters to 12-18 overall and 5-11 in conference play, while the Wildcats improve to 21-8 overall and 13-3 in league play. 

Facing an Indiana Wesleyan squad that entered the night just one match behind league-leading Taylor in the Crossroads League standings, Huntington refused to be intimidated and challenged one of the conference’s top teams from the opening serve. 

The first set was a showcase of the Foresters’ determination. Huntington matched the Wildcats point for point in a marathon battle that featured multiple set points on both sides. Time and again, the Foresters answered Indiana Wesleyan’s runs, extending rallies and winning critical points under pressure. After fighting off several Wildcat opportunities to close the set, Huntington finally prevailed 33-31 when Maggie Hollon delivered a service ace to send the home crowd into celebration and give the Foresters a 1-0 lead. 

Indiana Wesleyan responded in the second set, using a strong middle stretch to build separation before claiming a 25-18 win to even the match. 

The Wildcats carried that momentum into the third set. Huntington remained within striking distance early, but Indiana Wesleyan’s offense found its rhythm and secured another 25-18 decision to move ahead two sets to one. 

The Foresters responded with another gritty effort in the fourth set. Huntington built a 14-10 advantage and maintained the lead deep into the frame before the Wildcats rallied. The teams traded points through a tense finish, and with the score tied 20-20 late, Indiana Wesleyan managed to edge ahead and finish off the match with a 25-23 victory. 

Despite the loss, Huntington produced a strong all-around performance against one of the league’s elite programs, totaling 50 kills, eight service aces and 100 digs. 

Maggie Hollon led all players with 20 kills while adding 13 digs, four service aces and two block assists. The sophomore’s 20-kill effort moved her into second place in Huntington’s single-season record book with 525 kills, trailing only Brittney Smelser’s program record of 548 set in 2007. Hollon also continues to rank among the NAIA leaders, sitting second nationally in total kills and third in kills per set at 4.86. 

Trevyn Terry added 11 kills and three total blocks, while Liz Blackburn finished with 10 kills. 

Lauren Ross recorded a double-double with 37 assists and 23 digs. Kennedy Urban anchored the back row with a team-high 24 digs, while Ava Johnson contributed 14 digs and two service aces. 

Indiana Wesleyan was led by Shae Williams’ 22 kills and Aubree Deshetsky’s 17 kills. The Wildcats finished with 60 kills and a .177 attacking percentage. 

While the result did not fall Huntington’s way, the Foresters demonstrated the resilience and competitive spirit that has defined the program throughout a challenging season. The 33-31 opening-set victory served as a testament to the group’s intestinal fortitude, while their fourth-set rally showed they never stopped believing they could pull off the upset. 

“When you look at set one, I was so proud of our confidence and composure,” said Herber. “I think that is something that is a testament to our young team’s growth from a mental standpoint and how we chose to live for those big moments. This is Crossroads League volleyball and you have to expect a battle. So I was very proud of our team for that.” 

Against a team firmly in the hunt for a Crossroads League championship, Huntington proved it could compete point-for-point with one of the conference’s best. The Foresters will look to carry that fight into the final stretch of the regular season as they continue pursuing conference tournament positioning. 

Huntington returns to action Saturday at 1 p.m. when the Foresters host Marian University on Senior Day at Platt Arena. Huntington will then close out the regular season next Wednesday with a road matchup against University of Saint Francis in Fort Wayne.