OLIVET, Mich. - The Saint Mary's volleyball team shouldered a tough 3-0 (25-23, 25-17, 34-32) setback at Olivet on Tuesday night.

 

The Belles erased an early deficit and claimed an 11-10 lead on a four-point spurt in the opening set. Cali Allen started that run with a kill, and Shay Theile capped it off with a kill. Saint Mary's continued to push and used back-to-back Patricia Settlemier kills along with a Caroline Carens kill, a Mia Shields ace, and an Olivet attack error to go ahead 17-13. The Comets responded with a run of their own to regain a lead at 19-18, but the Belles broke a 21-21 tie moments later with back-to-back points for a 23-21 advantage. Olivet, however, capitalized on late attack errors by the Belles to claim the 25-23 set.

 

Neither team built more than a one-point lead through the first 15 points played in the second set as the Belles held an 8-7 lead on a Caroline Carens kill. Olivet took the next two points, which started an 11-3 run for an 18-11 advantage. Saint Mary's was unable to counter with a run of their own as the Comets claimed the set by a 25-17 score.

 

The third set featured 15 ties and proved to be a nail-biter until the end. The Belles fought their way back from a 10-3 deficit, and a 6-0 run gave Saint Mary's a 17-14 lead. The teams traded points with the Belles maintaining a lead at 19-16. The Comets came back to tie the score at 19-19. With both teams trying to get a late edge in the set, a ball handling error gave the Belles set point at 24-23. Olivet knotted the score, and the Belles went ahead again on a kill by Caroline Carens. An attack error and a Comet kill gave Olivet their first set-point at 26-25, but Saint Mary's responded with a kill by Cali Allen and a service ace by Shani Russell. Olivet countered with back-to-back points for a 28-27 advantage. The Belles came right back with kills by Allen and Mia Shields for a 29-28 lead. Olivet, however, kept the set alive with consecutive kills for a 30-29 lead. The Belles capitalized on a service error, and Saint Mary's used a Caroline Carens kill two points later to knot the score at 31-31. Carens put away another kill for a 32-31 lead, but Olivet had a block on the next point and used a kill and another block to take the set 34-32.

 

Caroline Carens and Cali Allen led the Belles with 13 points each as the pair both hit over .200 in the match. Allen had a double-double with 18 digs, an ace, and a pair of blocks, and Carens had three blocks on the night. Mia Shields put away five kills on nine attempts to hit .556 while adding five digs and a service ace. Patricia Settlemier chipped in four kills and three blocks. Shani Russell tallied 35 assists and two blocks with an ace, and Karli Fegan picked up 21 digs. Kennedy Oselka had nine digs in the match.

 

The Belles (5-12, 1-5 MIAA) return home to host Kalamazoo for a non-conference match on Friday at 7:00 p.m. Senior Karla Rigan will be recognized after the conclusion of the match.