Yellow Jackets come up short in five set thriller with UNOH

DEFIANCE, Ohio – The Defiance Yellow Jackets looked to clinch postseason berth as well as avenge their loss from earlier in the season to the UNOH Racers on Saturday night. The match went all five sets but the Racers ended up pulling through 3-2 (18-25, 25-23, 25-10, 19-25, 15-13) against the Yellow Jackets in this tightly contested match. 

The Yellow Jackets (10-21, 4-12 WHAC) came out strong against the Racers (18-16, 9-7 WHAC) taking the first set 25-18. The Jackets did so by going on short runs and not letting the Racers come back strong. Chaney Brodbeck led the way for the Jackets with five kills in this set alone. 

The second set saw neither team go up by more than two points at any time, both teams traded back and forth as it came down to the wire. The Racers closed out strong and managed to take it 25-23. With this momentum they carried it over to the third set where they dominated, getting out to an 11-4 lead and later going on an 8-1 run. Alli Lopez had 5 aces in this set propelling the Racers to a dominant 25-10 victory. 

The Jackets were not ready to roll over as they found their rhythm again. Keeping it close for the entirety of the fourth set with both teams trading runs. With the score tied at 15-15, the Jackets rattled off their own 8-1 run, giving them the upper hand and further insurance to claim the fourth set by a score of 25-19. 

THE TURNING POINT 

Going into the final set, the teams had kept it close the entire match and this one was no different. The set went back and forth until the Racers scored three straight after the Jackets led 11–10. The Jackets immediately countered but their efforts for revenge fell just short as the Racers tallied the last two points of the match, winning by a narrow 15-13 margin. 

INSIDE THE NUMBERS 

• The Jackets are now 0-6 in matches that go five sets. 
• Chaney Brodbeck had 17 kills, one below her season high of 18 and her seventh match in double figures.
• Gabby Rodriguez had 13 kills, her most since performances of 19 and 13 kills against St. Mary-of-the-Woods.
• Jamia Murray led the team with 19 digs followed closely by Shelby Clements with 18.
• Ja'Miah Thomas had a great game at the net with  eight total blocks, including three solo stuffs. She has 13 blocks over the last two matches.
• Kylie Anderson issued 26 assists and was the primary setter for the majority of the match after Amina Chamoun departed in the second.
• Alli Lopez for the Racers had 6 aces in the match to lead all players.

UP NEXT 

The Yellow Jackets can clinch a postseason berth in their next match against Lourdes University on Wednesday. The match starts at 7:00 p.m. at the Karl H. Weaner Center.

Written by Logan Kunkel

-JACKETS-