Foresters Drop a Pair of Five-Set Heartbreakers

HUNTINGTON, Ind. – In their own tri-match on Tuesday, the Huntington volleyball team dropped a pair of five-set heartbreakers to Concordia (25-17, 26-24, 20-25, 17-25, 16-14) and Trinity International (17-25, 25-21, 25-21, 16-25, 17-15) with the decisive set of each match only a two-point difference.

It was HU's first home games of the season and while the outcomes weren't as Herber and crew had hoped, there were plenty of positives on the day.

"Losing in a fifth set by two points is the hardest way to lose," said Coach Kelsey Herber. "The last thing I want for my team is to walk away from today feeling defeated because failure is not final.

"Rather, I believe if we look at the big picture, what we experienced today can catapult us forward, transforming us into the team that I am confident we will be. We played some great volleyball today, and I am proud of my team for their competitive spirit."

After a slow start against CU that saw the Foresters lose the first set and fall behind 8-1 early in the second, the hosts dialed up the intensity to get back in it. Despite being denied a heroic come-from-behind second set win, HU's grit and persistence paid off as they would go on to win the next two to force the rubber match.

When all was said and done, nearly every stat favored Huntington, but the Cardinals still found a way to eke out the win (25-17, 26-24, 20-25, 17-25, 16-14).

Freshman Haley Kruse paced her team with a match-tying 14 kills. Senior Tya Bynum was a force on both sides of the net by notching nine kills and four blocks, three of which were of the solo variety. Sophomore Kortney Grimm added eight kills while rookie Leah Carter put down seven.

Junior Morgan Robrock and Kendyll Gebert handed out 28 and 17 assists respectively. Freshman Layla Meyer spearheaded the defense with 21 digs while freshman Olivia Krahn collected 12 and Robrock finished with ten.

It was a fast start for Huntington a few hours later against Trinity International as they enjoyed a seven-point set one win before dropping the next two. A resilient Forester crew bounced back with a nine-point set four victory before the battle for the overall win ensued.

Kruse again led the Foresters offensively by racking up 15 kills. Grimm and Bynum also logged double-digit kills with 14 and 11 respectively. Robrock directed traffic most of the afternoon by dishing out 38 assists while Meyer covered the backline by tracking down 27 digs.

Overall, Herber was encouraged by the play of her squad. "We will become more consistent as we continue to build connections on the floor as a young team. I have been impressed by our freshmen who have embraced important roles on the floor so early in their career!"

Next up for the Foresters (1-5) is a trip to IU Northwest on August 30.

The Huntington University Foresters compete in 17 intercollegiate sports for men and women. In the past decade, Huntington has produced 125 NAIA All-America honors and 449 All-America Scholar Athlete honors. Huntington University is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations. U.S. News & World Report ranks Huntington among the best colleges in the Midwest.