HAMMOND, Ind. – The Quincy University women's volleyball team opened the Midwest Region Crossover with a victory Friday afternoon, defeating Northwood University in four sets, 25-22, 25-23, 12-25, 25-23, inside the Hammond Sportsplex. The Hawks avenged their season-opening loss to the Timberwolves and improved to 13-8 overall with the win.
The opening set was as even as they come, featuring 13 ties and four lead changes. Neither team led by more than two for the majority of the frame as the score worked its way to 22-22. Quincy finally found the separation it needed down the stretch, capitalizing on a Northwood service error before
Selin Turgut delivered a service ace to give the Hawks set point. Monika Bíliková followed with a kill to close out the 25-22 victory. Quincy hit .303 with 15 kills and five errors, while Northwood hit .290 with 15 kills and six errors.
Northwood came out firing in the second set, using a 6-0 run to take an early 7-1 advantage. Quincy slowly chipped away, cutting the deficit to 11-9 before another Timberwolves push stretched the margin back to 17-10. Facing a seven-point hole, the Hawks began to turn the set around. Quincy scored eight of the next 11 points to pull within 20-18 before eventually tying the set at 22 on a Turgut kill. Two consecutive Northwood errors gave Quincy set point before Turgut finished off the comeback with another kill for a 25-23 victory. The Hawks overcame nine attack errors in the frame, finishing with 16 kills and a .143 hitting percentage, while Northwood hit .209 with 13 kills and four errors.
The third set belonged entirely to Northwood. The Timberwolves turned an early 4-4 tie into an 18-7 advantage behind several extended runs as the Quincy offense struggled to find any rhythm. The Hawks never recovered and dropped the frame 25-12. Quincy finished with just seven kills and eight errors for a -.029 hitting percentage, while Northwood turned in its best offensive set of the match at .370 with 12 kills and only two errors.
Quincy regrouped quickly in the fourth and steadily built a 15-9 lead behind a balanced offensive attack. Northwood refused to go quietly, eventually erasing the deficit with a 6-0 stretch to tie the set at 21. With the match suddenly hanging in the balance, the Hawks responded.
Aysem Kocaalp put down a kill to regain the lead, and after Northwood tied it again at 22, Turgut answered with a kill before Kocaalp pushed Quincy to match point. A Timberwolves attack error finished off the 25-23 set victory and gave the Hawks the match. Quincy hit .275 with 16 kills and five errors in the deciding frame while holding Northwood to .196 with 15 kills and six errors.
The final numbers told an unusual story, as Northwood held the advantage in nearly every major offensive category despite taking the loss. The Timberwolves outhit Quincy .252 to .172, totaled more kills, 55-54, committed nine fewer attack errors and held a commanding 12-5 advantage in total blocks while also recording six service aces to Quincy's three. The difference came in the margins. Northwood committed 11 service errors compared to just four for the Hawks, while Quincy collected 68 digs to Northwood's 60 and found a way to win all three close sets by a combined seven points. Northwood's dominant third set also heavily swung the overall match statistics despite Quincy controlling the other three frames when it mattered most.
Kocaalp led the Hawks with 17 kills and 12 digs, recording her eighth double-double of the season while reaching at least 15 kills for the seventh time. Turgut added 13 kills, 10 digs and two service aces for her seventh double-double of the year and ninth match with double-digit kills.
Macey Rocco directed the offense with 42 assists, while
Amber Glen anchored the back row with a team-high 19 digs.
Milica Stamenic added 13 digs, and
Erin Matzke finished with six kills and four block assists.
Olivia Curry contributed six kills and three block assists as the Hawks picked up their fourth win in their last six matches.
Quincy will return to action later tonight for its second match of the Midwest Region Crossover, taking on Lake Erie College at 7:00 PM inside the Hammond Sportsplex.
