CANTON, Ohio – The Kentucky Wesleyan College volleyball team lost a back-and-forth battle to Malone on Saturday night. The Panthers came back from a 2-1 deficit to force a fifth set, falling 3-2.
 
The Pioneers (2-5 GMAC) took a 17-14 lead in the opening set, but Nicole Martin's kill started a rally. The Panthers (1-6 GMAC) won five points in a row and six of seven to take a 20-18 lead. Malone found a way to tie the frame at 23, but Lilly Trump and Carlee Widmer converted back-to-back kills to put the first set in the Wesleyan column.
 
The Pioneers tied the match with a 25-20 win of the second set. The set was tied early, but with the help of a .200 attacking percentage, the Pioneers inched ahead and hung on to the lead. Wesleyan fell behind early in the third and made a sprint to the finish.
 
The Panthers trailed 18-12 before winning six of seven points to pull within 19-18. Trump recorded seven kills in the frame, including four in the Panthers run. Nevertheless, Malone escaped in the third 25-22.
 
In the fourth, the Panthers built a 10-4 lead and did not look back. Wesleyan tied the match after a 25-22, forcing a decisive fifth set. The final set featured seven ties and four lead changes. Karrah Cron tied the set at 12-12 with a kill, the seventh tie of the set. The last three points belonged to the Pioneers as they ended the match with a 15-12 victory.
 
Trump finished with 20 kills and three block assists. Cron added 13 kills, 12 digs, and 17 assists. Widmer dished out 25 assists while Nilah Roy led defensively with 25 digs.
 
The Panthers will remain in the Canton metropolitan area to play Walsh on Saturday afternoon. The match is scheduled for 12 PM CT.