KALAMAZOO, Mich. – Albion College let a five-point lead slip away in the first set, and it never got control against Kalamazoo College Tuesday night.
Despite 18 kills from Taylor Rosenthal and 11 from Kelsey Gustafson, Albion absorbed a loss in four sets. Kalamazoo won the match 25-23, 17-25, 25-22, 25-20.
Rosenthal knocked down two kills and Marie Pregenzer served an ace as Albion ripped off six points to claim an 8-3 lead in the first set. Kalamazoo responded with a 5-0 run to take a 14-13 lead. The teams traded points until Kalamazoo scored the last three as Madi Goodman picked up a kill and an ace and Shelby Suseland added another kill.
Marie Pregenzer collected two kills and she assisted on a block with Emily Buckelew as Albion scored six of seven points to forge a 20-14 lead in the second set.
Kalamazoo took the momentum back by scoring six of the first seven points of the third set. Rosenthal knocked down two kills and Rachel Zawodny served an ace as Albion got within a point, 20-19, but it surrendered the next three points.
Kalamazoo scored six of the first eight points in the fourth set. Buckelew terminated three consecutive points to pull Albion within four, 17-13, and it got as close as three, 20-17, on a Monica Shuk ace.
Briton Notes
- Rosenthal went over 750 kills for her career. The junior from Vicksburg, Mich., has 752 with the Britons, leaving her 20 shy of moving into fifth place on Albion's all-time list.
- First-year setter Grace VanDorn completed her 20th double-double of the season with 41 assists and 11 digs. She is one of two Britons to dish out more than 1,000 assists in a season. Laura Kellman dished out 1,085 assists for the Britons in 2001. VanDorn has dished out 1,022 assists this season.
- Junior libero Monica Shuk collected 17 digs to move her season total to 461.
- Angela Adams led the Britons with 23 digs.
Up Next
Albion completes the regular season with home matches on Friday and Saturday. Calvin College comes calling at 6:30 Friday night , while Hope College provides the opposition at 3 o'clock Saturday afternoon.
Follow the Britons on Twitter: @AlbionVball