Defiance snaps skid with straight-set victory at UM-Dearborn

DEARBORN, Mich. - The Defiance Yellow Jackets regrouped after a loss on Friday night to sweep the UM-Dearborn Wolverines in three sets at The Fieldhouse on Saturday to pick up a critical conference victory.

The Yellow Jackets (9-18, 3-9 WHAC) were able to halt a five-match losing streak overall with the win, three of which were conference matches. The win over the Wolverines (12-9, 4-8 WHAC) also snapped a three-game slide in the conference as the regular season dwindles prior to the WHAC Tournament.

Defiance had one of their best hitting performances since their Oct. 2 win over Lourdes with 45 kills and hit .223 as a team, each their highest output since their most-recent conference victory. The Yellow Jackets set the tone with a first-set win in which DC was first to 10 and 20 and withstood a late charge by the Wolverines to claim the opener. Each team had lengthy runs in the second as Defiance posted six straight to build a 15-8 lead before UM-Dearborn responded with five in a row. The set stood 19-16 before DC closed out the second set by winning 6 of 8 points to close the set, including three kills by Chaney Brodbeck over that stretch.

THE TURNING POINT
The third set was back-and-forth despite Defiance holding the lead from start to finish. UM-Dearborn did not let the Jackets pull more than a three-point lead. Points were critical at the 19-18 mark of the set when Shelby Clements delivered a big strike followed by an ace by Kaylee Dickinson to widen the lead to three. Defiance went on to score the next three points to set up match point before Clements slammed the clinching point to finish the 25-20 set win for the sweep.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS

• Defiance led for all but seven serves in the match to push the team to their sixth straight-set victory.
• Chaney Brodbeck and Shelby Clements each led the Jackets with 18 kills apiece as career-best numbers for each. Brodbeck's total was her fifth match with double-figures in kills while Clements set a new season high.
• Clements was also the team leader with 16 digs, as Dickinson, Gabby Rodriguez and Brodbeck also had double-figures defensively.
• Gabby Rodriguez and Jaelyn Tomoletz were tremendous at the net and combined for 11 of the team's 14 blocks.
• Kylie Anderson was DC's top passer with 20 assists, followed by Amina Chamoun with 17.

UP NEXT
Defiance will play the remainder of their regular season games at home, beginning with hosting nationally-ranked Aquinas at the Karl H. Weaner Center on Friday. First serve against the Saints is scheduled for 7 p.m.

-JACKETS-