HOLLAND, Mich. – The Elmhurst volleyball team wrapped up the second day of the Midwest Invitational by posting a 1-1 record.
 
Elmhurst opened the day with a four-set victory over fifth-ranked Hope College before falling in five sets to Heidelberg College.  Elmhurst, ranked 17th in the latest AVCA Division III poll, moved to 17-9 on the season with the split.
 
ELMHURST 3, HOPE 1 – Elmhurst opened the day by upsetting fifth-ranked Hope College in four sets (19-25, 25-19, 26-24, 25-17).
 
After dropping the first set to the Flying Dutch, the Bluejays rebounded to take the next three. Elmhurst grabbed an early 11-10 lead in the second set  and never trailed for the rest of the set. Hope pulled even at 16-all, but the Bluejays used a 5-2 run to take a 23-18 lead. A pair of Hope errors gave Elmhurst the second set at 25-19.
 
Hope (17-3) pulled out to an early 9-4 lead in the third, but Elmhurst stormed back pulling even at 12-12 and surging in front at 20-19 after a kill from Alli Rogers. Hope fought off an Elmhurst set point at 24-23 to knot the score at 24-24, but a service error from Hope followed by a kill from Melissa Nava gave Elmhurst the set at 26-24.
 
The fourth set belonged to the Bluejays as Elmhurst raced out to a 5-1 lead and never trailed. Hope came no closer than a two-point deficit before Elmhurst pulled away for the 25-17 win.                                       
 
Elmhurst hit .180 for the contest with 54 kills and 23 errors in 172 swings. Rogers led the Bluejays in the win with 14 kills and 20 digs.Hannah Davis added 13 kills and hit .600 for the Bluejays while Nava added 10 kills and a team-leading four blocks for the Bluejays. Hannah Nimrick tallied eight kills and 41 assists to go with 13 digs. Alyssa Olson matched Nava for the team-lead in blocks with four. Amy Schryver totaled a team-leading 25 digs while Mary Lawrence finished with seven kills and 12 digs.
 
Hope finished the match with a .152 attacking percentage, totaling 48 kills and 23 errors in 165 swings.  Vanessa Reynhout, Courtney Van Houzen and Katie Rietberg each finished with 11 kills for Hope. Sophia Hackett added 40 assists while Alexis Thompson recorded 35 digs.
 
HEIDELBERG 3, ELMHURST 2 – Elmhurst slipped to 17-9 on the season after falling Heidelberg in five sets (11-25, 25-20, 25-21, 19-25, 13-25).
Heidelberg (16-8) breezed to the win in the opening set. With the set tied at four, Heidelberg closed the set with a 21-7 run to take the set.
 
Elmhurst bounced back in the second, building a 12-10 lead before using a 7-3 run to take a 19-13 cushion en route to the 25-20 win.  Elmhurst broke open a 15-15 tie in the third set with a4-0 run, building a 19-15 lead. Heidelberg pulled to within two points at 23-21 but a kill from Nimrick and an ace from Kerry Swain sealed the set for Elmhurst.
 
Elmhurst built an early lead in the fourth with a 14-10 cushion, but Heidelberg responded with a 9-1 run to build a 19-15 lead before putting the set away at 25-19.
 
Elmhurst raced out to a 9-3 lead in the fifth set before the Bluejays stumbled. Heidelberg ripped off a 9-1 run to take a 13-10 lead.  Trailing 14-11, Elmhurst fought off two match points before a kill from Janessa Scott ended the match for Heidelberg.
 
Elmhurst hit .213 for the match with 59 kills and 20 errors in 183 attacks. Nava powered Elmhurst's offense with 15 kills and three blocks. Rogers added 13 kills and 16 digs while Lawrence totaled nine kills and six blocks. Nimrick and Davis added nine kills apiece. Nimrick added 27 digs and 38 assists while Schryver led the squad in digs 30. Nava was named to the all-tournament team for her play over the two-day event. 
 
Scott and Sarah Parker led the charge for Heidelberg, combining for 41 kills in the win. Parker finished with match-high 21 while Scott added 20.
 
Elmhurst hosts North Central College on Thursday, October 20.