Jeff Yoder | Echo
The Taylor volleyball team saw a tale of two games on Wednesday night as a dominating 2-0 lead for the Trojans turned into a 3-2 win for the Grace Lancers. The Trojans suffered their first loss to Grace since 2005.
TU battled through 12 ties and six lead changes in the first set before making a late surge, scoring seven of the last eight points to get a 25-19 win.
Taylor got going quick in set two, but the Lancers clawed back and narrowed the lead to one point at 14-13. A few close calls in Grace's favor gave the Lancers control of set two with a 23-20 lead. However, a spell of crucial points by TU, eight of the last 11, helped the Trojans overcome the deficit to win set two 28-26.
Grace controlled set three early before Taylor reeled off six consecutive points to flip the score from a 9-6 deficit to a 12-9 lead. The rest of set three belonged to the Lancers as they stayed alive with a 25-20 victory to cut Taylor's set lead to 2-1.
The Lancers held the lead for most of set four, but the Trojans tied it up at 20-20. With five points left to close Grace out, Taylor let their 2-1 set lead slip as the Lancers edged out set four (25-23) and knotted the match at two sets apiece.
The Lancers grabbed an 8-6 lead halfway through the fifth as they went on to capture set five (15-12) and stun the crowd in Odle Arena.
Senior Ashlyn DeHoogh led the Trojans with 18 kills while tallying 13 digs. Senior Montanna Ashline showed offensive and defensive presence as she put down 11 kills and accounted for a team-high seven blocks.
Sophomore setters Olivia Griffith and Julia Willey combined for 47 assists with 24 and 23, respectively. Junior Jackie Close added 11 kills, and sophomore Michaela Sir led the Trojans in attacking percentage with .310, as well as 10 kills.
Defensively, junior libero Kelsey Carr had a season-high 32 digs and freshman Alex Reel recorded a career-high 15 digs.
Taylor is now 12-9 overall and 8-4 in Crossroads League play. Following an eight-game win streak, the Trojans have now lost three consecutive conference matches.
Taylor will host Saint Francis tonight at 7 p.m. and Spring Arbor tomorrow at 4 p.m.
Photography by Timothy P. Riethmiller
