Foresters Grit Out Five-Set Win at Saint Francis 

Fort Wayne, Ind. – It wasn't always their cleanest outing, but it was one of their toughest. The Huntington University volleyball team dug deep and battled through adversity to earn a thrilling five-set road win over Saint Francis on Wednesday night (24-26, 25-19, 25-16, 28-30, 16-14). With the victory, the Foresters improve to 19-4 overall and 7-3 in Crossroads League play. 

HU didn't play its best brand of volleyball, but when it mattered most, the Foresters found a way to win. After dropping the opening set, Huntington responded with dominant second and third frames before outlasting the Cougars in an intense fifth-set finish. 

Freshman Maggie Hollon led the charge with 15 kills, showcasing poise well beyond her years. Trevyn Terry was a force at the net with 10 kills on .350 hitting and five block assists, while Maisyn Robrock and Leah Carter chipped in nine and seven kills respectively. 

Lauren Ross directed the offense with 24 assists and four kills on .800 hitting, and Kennedy Urban added eight assists and six digs. Layla Meyer anchored the defense with 18 digs and five aces, while Olivia Krahn turned in a gritty performance, pushing through some physical challenges to steady the Forester back row with 16 digs. 

Despite stretches of inconsistency, Huntington showed its championship resolve down the stretch, hitting .300 in the second set and .258 in the decisive fifth to seal the win. 

"While I am always grateful for a win, we know it was closer than it should have been," said Forester head coach Kelsey Herber. "Moving forward, we want to focus on making fundamental adjustments quicker and eliminating our unforced errors. We have a big match on Saturday and we need to use these two days of practice to prepare effectively."

The Foresters return to action on Saturday when they travel to Bethel for a 1:00 p.m. matchup with the Pilots. 

The Huntington University Foresters compete in 18 intercollegiate sports for men and women. In the past decade, Huntington has produced 181 NAIA All-America honors and 631 All-America Scholar Athlete honors. Huntington University is a comprehensive Christian college of the liberal arts offering graduate and undergraduate programs in more than 70 academic concentrations. U.S. News & World Report ranks Huntington among the best colleges in the Midwest.