HOLLAND, Mich. – The #14-ranked Marietta College volleyball team traveled to battle #18-Hope College on Friday (Sept. 26) evening and, unfortunately, fell to defeat to the Flying Dutchmen, 3-1.  With the loss, the Pioneers fall to 9-3.  Hope College improves to 10-4 on the season.

Hope College got moving quickly in the first set, jumping out to a 6–0 lead. Kills by Karley Allwood (Wadsworth, Ohio/Wadsworth) and Jillian Fellers (Alliance, Ohio/Marlington) briefly broke the momentum, cutting the lead to four. Later in the match, with the Flying Dutchmen leading 11-4, the Pioneers scored three straight as Fellers converted two consecutive service aces to inch them a bit closer. Hope took control of the set, though, as they went on a six-point rally to expand the lead to 20–9. Despite getting late kills from Fellers and AnnaBelle Hacker (Centerville, Ohio/Alter), the difference was too much to overcome and Hope took the first set, 25–13.
 
Marietta got off to quick 3-0 lead over Hope in set two as Hacker powered a couple of kills, but the Flying Dutchman returned with a six-point rally to take their first lead of the set.  Fellers scored on a pair of kills to tie the game at six-all, and after some Hope errors, Marietta rushed out to a 13-8 advantage. Hope was able to fight back to eventually tie the set at 20, but the Pioneers took three straight possessions, the last point on a kill from Hacker, to lead 23-20.  Emily Piehler (Medina, Ohio/Medina) and Karly Launder (Pleasant City, Ohio/Meadowbrook) closed out the set with kills and Marietta claimed set two, 25-21.
 
Hoping to continue the momentum, Marietta jumped out to a 4–2 lead getting a kill from Piehler. The Flying Dutchmen returned with a three-point rally of their own, the final point scored off of a kill from Kiara Morrison, to retake the lead at 5-4. Later in the match, after some traded possessions, the Pioneers got a kill from Hacker to tie the game up at 11–all. Pope got three consecutive service aces from Morrison and began to expand the lead, 17-14.  They then closed out the set in dominant fashion, taking eight of the final nine points to win set three, 25–14.
 
Facing elimination, the Pioneers did not fare better in set four as Hope jumped out to an 8–2 lead. Marietta fought back as they got kills from Fellers, Piehler, and Hacker to cut the deficit to three. Later in the set, the Flying Dutchmen took four straight, two off of service aces from Amelia Gagnon, and led 17–10. Marietta got a late push as Launder scored a kill and Kiara Shannon got an ace, but Hope was able to hold on to capture the set and the match, taking set four 25–17.
 
Fellers led the way with 11 kills and finished with seven digs. Launder ended with seven kills. Emory Spitler (Lebanon, Ohio/Lebanon) finished with 29 assists and Shannon lead the defensive effort with 18 digs.

Marietta will return to the court Saturday (Sept. 27) when they battle the other tri-match participant, Illinois Wesleyan University, in a neutral-site matchup.  Action begin at 10:30 a.m.

Fans can follow all of the Pioneer teams all year long at pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on X and Instagram.