WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. - The Olivet Nazarene University women's volleyball team traveled down to Florida to kick off their 2022 campaign in the Chic-Fil-A Classic, hosted by Keiser University. The Tigers got out to a slow start to the season, dropping their first two matches of the year in straight sets.

First Match: Loyola-New Orleans 3, Olivet Nazarene 0

In their first match of the tournament, the Tigers squared off against Loyola-New Orleans, a squad that received votes in the NAIA preseason rankings. ONU hung tough early in the first set, keeping the score within one throughout the first five points. That was until the Wolfpack notched six-of-seven points to take a 10-4 lead. The Tigers put away 12 kills on just four errors in the first set but were outdone by Loyola who put away 15 with only one error.

The Tigers showed some moxie in the second set. After surrendering a 12-7 lead, the Tiger rallied off four-straight points to cut the deficit to one, punctuated by back-to-back kills by Sutton Bate and Halle Nicholas. This is the closest the Tigers would get, however, as the Wolfpack pulled away to claim the second set 25-17.

Similar to the first set, the Tigers hung tight with the Wolfpack early in the third set but couldn't keep pace. The Wolfpack turned in a 13-kill performance on just one error in the final set to take down the ONU Tigers in order.

Second Match: Dakota State 3, Olivet Nazarene 0

The Tigers faced off against the Dakota State Trojans in their second match of the day, another squad that received votes in the NAIA preseason rankings. The most competitive set of the match was the opener. The Tigers only faced a two-point deficit early, with a Kylie Hasselbacher kill dished up by Ella Johnson cutting the Trojan lead to 7-5. However, Dakota State eventually pushed the lead to double-digits and close out the first set 25-15.

The second and third sets were ones to forget for ONU, failing to score double-digit points in either set. Dakota State defeated ONU 3-0 to hand the Tigers their second straight-set defeat of the day.

GAME VITALS

Finals: Match One: First Set: L-NO 25, ONU 19 | Second Set: L-NO 25, ONU 11 | Third Set: L-NO 25, ONU 11

Match Two: First Set: DSU 25, ONU 15 | Second Set: DSU 25, ONU 7 | Third Set: DSU 25, ONU 5

Records: Dakota State 2-0 | Loyola-New Orleans 1-0 | Olivet Nazarene 0-2

Location: Massimino Court | Keiser University | West Palm Beach, Fla.

QUICK HITS

First Match

• Bate was the lone Tiger with double-digit kills with 10.
• Nicholas was second on the squad with six kills.
• Karsyn Delbridge led the Tigers with 17 assists.
• Brianna Cannon led ONU with seven digs. Delbridge, Nicholas, and Stephanie Hebel each had five.

Second Match

• Johnson dished up 13 assists to lead the Tigers.
• Cannon led the entire match in digs with 17.
• Hasselbacher led ONU with 6 kills.

WHAT'S NEXT?

The Tigers will take on another two-game day tomorrow to conclude play at the Chic-Fil-A Classic. ONU will take on Dakota Wesleyan at 11 a.m. CDT, followed by a match with the College of St. Mary at 3 p.m. CDT to round out their Florida trip. Links to host Keiser's livestream will be posted on the Tigers' website; www.onutigers.com.

--ONU—

*Contact: Evan Wild, Sports Information Director, ewwild@olivet.edu