--Photo Credit: Eric Decker--

BOURBONNAIS, Ill. – The RV Olivet Nazarene University women's volleyball team opened its Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference (CCAC) and home schedule sweeping the Trolls of Trinity Christian College in straight sets at McHie Arena on Thursday night. 

The Tigers started off the first set with a 4-1 lead highlighted by a kill by Sutton Bate from Janelle Skinner and a service ace by Katarina Nikolic.  After that, the Tigers proceeded to take a 13-8 lead after two kills by Bate.  The Trolls would not let it get too out of hand, going on a 10-2 run and cut the lead to 19-17.  After that long Trinity Christian run, the Tigers finally countered by taking a 23-20 lead. This run was highlighted by a kill from Rachel Newport. The Tigers ended up taking the first set, 25-23. Bate led the Tigers with six kills.

At the start of the second set, the Tigers took 6 of the first 11 points, highlighted by kills by Nikolic, Becca Bell, and Carleigh Johnson. The Tigers continued to play well at the start of the second set after back-to-back service aces by Bell and a kill by Newport making the score, 8-6. The two teams went back-and-forth until the Tigers took over.  With the Trolls up 15-14, a service ace by Nikolic sparked a 4-0 run making the score, 18-15, Tigers. The Trolls fought back to tie the set at 22 apiece, but the Tigers pulled away at the end and took the set, 25-23.

The Tigers kept its foot on the gas to start the third set marking 7 of the first 10 points, highlighted by three kills from Bell. At 13-7, ONU, the Tigers marked the next six points to go up 18-7.  Bell had three kills during that stretch. 

The Tigers only surrendered five more points as they defeated the Trolls, 25-12, and took the match, 3-0. 

GAME VITALS

Finals: First Set: RV ONU 25, TCC 23 | Second Set: RV ONU 25, TCC 23 | Third Set: RV ONU 25, TCC 12

Records: RV Olivet Nazarene: 3-2 (1-0 CCAC) | Trinity Christian: 1-2 (0-1 CCAC)

Location: McHie Arena | Olivet Nazarene University | Bourbonnais, Ill.

QUICK HITS

• Bell led the Tigers with 14 kills.
• Johnson followed with seven kills and Bate and Nikolic each had six kills. 
• Bell led the Tigers with four service aces and Johnson followed with three.
• Skinner led the Tigers with 19 assists while Hadleigh Loitz followed with 9 assists. 
• Kaitlyn McMahan led the Tigers with 16 digs. 
• In the third set, the Tigers hit .409. 

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Tigers travel to South Bend, Ind. to take on the Titans of Indiana University-South Bend on Thursday, September 7 at 6 p.m. CST.  Please visit onutigers.com for the most up-to-date information. 

--ONU—

*Contact: Sam Viebrock, Sports Information Director, stviebrock@olivet.edu

               Trenton Hancock, Sports Information Student Writer