Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 HOLLAND, Mich. - The sixth-ranked Elmhurst volleyball team moved to 22-3 on the season after splitting its first two matches at the Midwest Volleyball Challenge at Hope College.

The Bluejays opened the day with a 26-24, 25-23, 25-20 win over Clarkson University, a national quarterfinalist in 2012. The Bluejays came up short in the nightcap, rallying from two sets down before falling 14-25, 23-25, 25-18, 25-22, 12-15 to second-ranked Hope.

ELMHURST 3, CLARKSON 0 - The Bluejays scored their 22nd win of the season by recording their second victory of the year over Clarkson. Elmhurst led by as many as six points in the opening set (17-11) before Clarkson pulled even at 19-19. Elmhurst opened up a 24-22 lead, but Clarkson fought off two set points to tie the score at 24-all. A kill by Sam Szarmach and an ace from Hannah Lessen gave the Bluejays the first set at 26-24.

The Bluejays fell behind early in the second set, trailing 14-10 before mounting a rally. Elmhurst closed to within a point at 20-19, but Clarkson opened its lead back to two at 23-21. A kill by Jess Suarez, two errors from Clarkson and an ace from Lauren Lorenz gave Elmhurst the second set at 25-23.

Elmhurst grabbed a quick 4-0 lead in the third set, only to see Clarkson surge in front at 9-7. The Bluejays answered back with a 10-1 run to build a 17-10 lead and then pulled away for the 25-20 win.

Szarmach led the Bluejays in the win with10 kills and 10 digs. Hannah Nimrick powered down 10 kills while leading the squad with 26 assists. Kaitlyn Wilks added nine kills and four blocks while Suarez recorded eight kills. Megan Reynolds finished with six kills and two blocks.Marci Novak added a team-leading 20 digs and three aces.

HOPE 3, ELMHURST 2 - Elmhurst rallied from a two-set deficit before falling in a five-set back-and-forth battle with Hope.

Hope (21-1) ran over the Bluejays in the opening set, building a 17-9 cushion before cruising to the 25-14 win.

The two squads were neck-and-neck for much of the second set, with neither team leading by more than two points. Elmhurst grabbed a 23-22 lead on a Marci Novak kill, but a pair of kills from Jenna Grasmeyer and an Elmhurst error gave Hope a two-set lead.

The third set belonged to the Bluejays as Elmhurst opened a six-point lead at 15-9. Hope close to three points at 20-17, but the Bluejays finished the set on a 4-1 run to take the third set 25-18.

Leading 13-12 in the fourth set, the Bluejays rattled off seven straight points to take a commanding 20-12 lead. Hope slowly cut into the deficit, pulling to within three points on three occasions before a bet set handed the set to the Bluejays.

The fifth set was a back-and-forth affair as the two teams traded the first 14 points to be tied at 7-7. Hope used a pair of Elmhurst errors to build a 10-7 lead. The Bluejays closed to within a point at 13-12 but kills from Courtney Earles and Grasmeyer gave the decisive set and the match to Hope.

Nimrick led Elmhurst's attack with a triple-double. She finished with 11 kills, 12 digs and a team-leading 37 assists. Wiks pounded down 15 kills to go along with three blocks while Novak added 13 kills and 18 digs. Reynolds chipped in with 12 kills and three blocks while Shannon Burns came off the bench to record nine kills. Hannah lessen added a team-best 34 digs in the loss.

Elmhurst shifts over to Calvin College for the second day of the Midwest Volleyball Challenge. The Bluejays will face the top-ranked hosts before battling Heidelberg.