Box Score (vs. Lewis & Clark)

Box Score (vs. Mayville State)

PORTLAND, Ore. – Fans of the Edgewood College volleyball team got what they were accustomed to last season to start 2011, a pair of thrilling five set matches. When all the dust settled, the Eagles escaped with a narrow 3-2 win over host Lewis & Clark College before dropping another marathon 3-2 to Mayville State University.

Lewis & Clark (0-1) opened up an 11-7 lead in the first set, causing the Eagles to take a timeout. Jessica Martin followed the timeout with a pair of kills to get the Eagles back within two points. Then after Lewis & Clark stretched the lead back to four, Martin came to serve and promptly ripped consecutive aces. Edgewood College took a 14-13 lead on a pair of Pioneer miscues, forcing a timeout.

The Pioneers then opened up a 17-15 lead, only to see the Eagles come storming back, scoring the next six points. Mallory Palmer recorded a pair of kills and Lindsey Swansby served an ace on the run to put the Eagles in control at 21-17. The Eagles closed out the set 25-20 to take a 1-0 lead.

The second set was even closer than the first as the teams went back-and-fourth until late in the set. The Eagles opened up at 22-18 lead and it looked like they would take a 2-0 lead. However, the Pioneers came back by scoring the next five points to take the lead. Edgewood College regained a 24-23 advantage, but the Pioneers didn't go away as they scored the next two points. After the Eagles tied the set at 25, Lewis & Clark scored the next two points to take the second set 27-25.

Edgewood College fell behind early in set three, trailing 10-5, but they gradually came back and finally tied the set at 19 on a Laura Sweeney ace. The score was again tied at 21 before Dacy Swansby started a run with one of her seven kills in the match. Palmer then served up an ace, and then after a Pioneer error, Palmer ended the set with another ace.

The Pioneers jumped out early again and seemed to have control of set four until the Eagles came back and evened the set at 20. The teams then traded points until Lewis & Clark got back-to-back kills from Brigitte Russo and Margaret Dowling to force a decisive set with the 26-24 win.

Lewis & Clark appeared to be in control of the fifth set, opening up a 6-1 lead and forcing an Edgewood College timeout. Out of the timeout, the Pioneers committed a service error before Sarah Schuchhardt and Palmer recorded kills to make the score 6-4. The score was tied at 11 when Martin recorded her 11th kill of the match to put the Eagles on top. Rachel Thomsen put the Eagles up two with an ace before an Eagle mistake. Palmer then gave Edgewood College a chance at match point with her 20th kill of the match and the Eagles took the set 15-12 on a Pioneer attack error to escape with the narrow 3-2 win.

Palmer was one of three Eagles to record a double-double with 20 kills and 12 digs. Martin had a double-double with 11 kills and 13 digs while Lindsey Swansby led the team with 43 assists to go along with 14 digs. Sweeney led the Eagles with 22 digs and set a career best with a team-high seven aces in the match. In her first career match, Thomsen recorded four aces and seven digs while fellow freshman Schuchhardt compiled three kills. The Pioneers out hit the Eagles as they had a .150 attack percentage while the Eagles hit .096 in the match.

The nightcap against NAIA Mayville State University (7-3) started out well for the Eagles as they took the first set by the score of 25-19. However, the Comets answered with a 25-17 victory in set two. The third set was much more competitive as Mayville State snuck a 26-24 victory out to force the Eagles to win the final two sets to take the match.

Edgewood College (1-1) bounced back and took the third set 25-20 to force the fifth and final set. However, the Comets proved too much, taking the final set 15-11 to win the match.

Lindsey Swansby recorded a triple-double with 11 kills, 39 assists and 14 digs. Palmer led the team with 15 kills to go along with 21 digs while Martin had 11 kills and 18 digs. Sweeney led the team with 29 digs in the loss. Brittany Bylsma chipped in with nine kills while Thomsen recorded 10 assists for the Eagles.

The Eagles will continue play at the Northwest Invitational tomorrow when they face George Fox University at 9:30 a.m. and Linfield College at 11:30 a.m. Both times are pacific time.