PALOS HEIGHTS, Ill. – Trinity Volleyball is returning to the postseason for the first time in three seasons, as the Trolls clinched a spot in the CCAC Tournament with a straight-set win over Olivet Nazarene, on Senior Day inside DeVos Gymnasium on Saturday afternoon.
Sarah Neighbors led the way, scoring ten kills and seven digs and a team-high 12 points in the win. Dej'a Williams scored seven kills with five total blocks. Senior libero Cecilia Zuniga tallied 21 digs, and fellow seniors Taryn Hinken and Brooke Veldman dominated at the net, combining for 12 kills and eight blocks on the day.
The Trolls (9-18, 7-6 CCAC) came out strong, jumping out to a 10-3 lead in the first game as Neighbors scored a kill and an ace, with Hinken's kill capping the early rally. Trinity would stay in front the rest of the way, with another five-point run closing out the first-set win, 25-17.
Game two would be one of the closest sets throughout the season; after the Tigers (10-13, 7-6 CCAC) took a 15-8 lead midway through the game, Trinity would slowly work their way back into the game. A three-point run that included two kills from Neighbors and one from Hinken would tie the game at 22-22, the first tie since 1-1 at the start of the set. Olivet would earn set point with back-to-back points, but a kill from Williams and two from Hinken gave Trinity set point at 25-24.
Both sides would have two more set points but were unable to convert, until at 30-29, a Veldman kill gave Trinity the two-set lead on the day, winning game two 31-29.
Game three would remain close as well, with Olivet taking a lead at 18-17 by scoring five of six points to move in front. A kill and a block from Sharide Sykes and a pair of Tiger attack errors gave Trinity a 21-18 edge, and another three-point rally in the closing moments would give the Trolls match point. Trinity would close out the win on another ONU error, winning the set 25-22.
The win clinches a spot in the CCAC Tournament for the Trolls, for the first time since the Spring 2021 season. The Trolls will first close out the regular season, with one final road trip on Thursday, Nov. 2, at Governors State.
