GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. - The Elmhurst volleyball team opened the Midwest Volleyball Invitational by splitting a pair of matches. 

Elmhurst, ranked 17th in the latest AVCA poll, opened the day with a five-set victory over Ohio Wesleyan University before falling in three sets to #1 ranked Calvin College.

ELMHURST 3, OHIO WESLEYAN 2 - Elmhurst opened the day with a 26-28, 25-19, 25-10, 17-25, 15-13 win over Ohio Wesleyan. 

The Bluejays built an early lead in the opening set at 16-12, but Ohio Wesleyan battled back to pull even at 20-20. The Bluejays had three set points but could not put the set away. Back-to-back errors on Elmhurst and an ace from Ohio Wesleyan gave OWU the opening set st 28-26. 

Trailing 15-14 in the second set, Elmhurst surged in front at 19-18 and then closed the set with a 6-1 run to even the match. The Bluejays dominated the third set, building a quick 10-4 lead and never looking back en route to the 15-point win. 

Ohio Wesleyan pulled even by taking the fourth set. OWU broke a 6-6 tie with a 12-1 run to take an 18-7 lead. Elmhurst cut the deficit to five points at 22-17 but came no closer as Ohio Wesleyan put the set away at 25-17.

Ohio Wesleyan scored four straight points in.  the fifth to take a 9-5 lead, but Elmhurst responded with a 6-1 run to grab an 11-10 lead. Ohio Wesleyan pulled even at 13-13 forcing Elmhurst to call a timeout, but kills from Hannah Davis and Melissa Nava gave the set and the match to the Bluejays.

Elmhurst hit .274 for the match with 74 kills and 28 errors in 168 swings. Davis powered the Bluejays' offense, finishing with a career-high 19 kills. Four other Bluejays reached double figures in kills. Rogers totaled 12 kills and nine digs while Mary Lawrence added 10 kills, 10 digs and five blocks. Hannah Nimrick and Nava finished with 11 kills apiece. Nava added a match-high seven blocks while Nimrick recorded a triple-double with 55 assists and 15 digs. Amy Schryver registered a team-leading 22 digs in the victory. 

Tris Anderson paced Ohio Wesleyan in the loss with 14 kills while Shannon Schlater added 29 assists and nine digs.

CALVIN 3, ELMHURST 0 - Elmhurst dropped to 16-8 on the season after falling 25-17, 25-22, 25-15 to top-ranked Calvin. 

Calvin (19-0) broke open a 9-9 tie in the opening set with a 7-0 run, taking a 16-9 lead en route to a 25-17 win. Calvin built a seven-point cushion at 19-12 in the second set and held off a late surge from the Bluejays. Elmhurst used a 9-2 run to pull to within a point at 22-21, but the Knights closed the set with a 3-1 run to take the set. 

Leading 14-13 in the third set, Calvin put the Bluejays away by closing out the set with an 11-2 run. 

Rogers led Elmhurst in the loss with nine kills and eight digs. Lawrence added seven kills while Nimrick totaled 24 assists and eight digs. Nava and Alyssa Olson recorded four blocks apiece while Schryver and Ani Agbabian tallied nine digs each. 

Tessa Van Laare paced Calvin with 11 kills while Anna Kamp and Laura Danhoff fiinished with 10 kills apiece. 

Elmhurst takes on Hope and Heidelberg on the tournament's second day.