Escape Act: Trojans Win Thriller at Goshen
Despite a lackluster performance Tuesday night by the No. 10 Taylor volleyball team, the Trojans escaped Goshen with a 3-2 (20-25, 25-15, 25-27, 25-18, 15-12) win and improved to 15-1 overall and 4-0 in conference play.
Unforced errors came in bunches for Taylor. With 14 service errors on top of four receiving miscues and five ball handling errors, the Trojans nearly cost themselves the match.
The win gives Taylor its 11th straight victory this season and extends the Trojans' MCC regular season win streak to 24 matches dating back to 2007.
Rachel Kizer posted her seventh double-double of the season with 17 kills and 17 digs to go along with a team-high four blocks. Reigning NAIA Player of the Week Kelsey Pritchard had 18 kills. Betsy Brown dished out 55 assists while Courtney Herschberger led with 26 digs.
After attacking at a clip of .150 in a 25-20 opening set loss, the Trojans bounced back with a convincing 25-15 victory in the second set. Taylor had 17 kills and just one error for a .500 attack percentage in the win.
The third set went all the way down to the wire before the Maple Leafs pulled away with the final two points and a 27-25 win to go up 2-1 for the match.
Taylor reasserted itself with a hitting percentage of .345 in the fourth set victory that forced the decisive final set.
The Trojans fell behind 9-7 before battling back to a 13-12 lead on a kill by Kizer. One play later with Amanda Beebe serving, Goshen's Peni Acayo hit one long and gave the Trojans a chance at match point. After a Maple Leafs timeout, Taylor freshman Ashlyn DeHoogh recorded her seventh kill of the match to complete the Taylor escape.
The Trojans host Spring Arbor this Friday at 7 p.m. for the first MCC home match for Taylor this season. It will be Hawaiian night in Odle Arena and fans are asked to dress accordingly.