Box Score FRANKLIN, Ind. – With a spot in the HCAC Tournament locked up, the Franklin College volleyball team had the opportunity to face off with league-leading and unbeaten Transylvania University in the final match of the regular season.
Playing in the final regular season home match in the careers of Abby Sewell, Kyndall Boyll, Mackenzie Waldran and Maria Hasnerl, the Grizzlies put together a masterful performance on Tuesday (Feb. 23) night. Franklin (10-5, 7-2 HCAC) dominated the opening game and held on to win two nail-biters after that to hand Transy (13-1, 8-1 HCAC) their first loss of the year 25-14, 25-23, 26-24.
The win locks up the No. 3 seed in the conference tournament for the Grizzlies and is the first victory by Franklin over Transy since Nov. 4, 2015 in the HCAC Tournament. Franklin also ends the Pioneers' conference match winning streak at 25, which began back on Oct. 3, 2018.
Game one was all Franklin from the jump, with the hosts running out to a 10-2 lead and never looking back. The Grizzlies dominated on both sides of the ball, hitting .357 with three aces and four total blocks. Boyll was dominant on the attack in the first set, racking up six kills and a .750 hitting percentage to help put the Griz up a game.
The second set played out much closer with six ties and four lead changes throughout the game. Facing a 19-14 deficit, a well-placed timeout from the FC bench lit a fire under the home side and started a 7-2 run that brought the second set even late. Sewell and Taylor Tatlock put the Grizzlies up two sets, combining for three kills and teaming up for a massive block to end a game-winning 4-0 Franklin run.
Game three was one of the wildest sets of the year and featured 13 ties and eight lead changes between the two teams. Transy held the largest lead of the final game at 20-16, but Franklin responded with four straight points to draw even. The Pioneers moved to set point at 24-22, forcing a Franklin timeout that once again sparked a Grizzly rally.
After a Transy attack error brought the serve back to Franklin at 24-23, Tatlock evened things up at 24 and Sewell put the nail in the proverbial coffin with back-to-back solo blocks, finishing off the sweep.
Boyll was a force on the attack for Franklin, hitting .440 with 13 kills and adding 10 digs for her second career double-double. Sewell controlled the game at the net with seven total blocks to go along with her six kills and .333 hitting percentage. Sofia Helton handed out 27 assists and added 10 digs and a pair of blocks. Allison Thompson had a team-high three aces and led all players with 16 digs.
Next up for the Grizzlies is the semifinals of the HCAC Tournament, which is set for Friday, Feb. 26 at 7:00 p.m. Franklin will head to Cincinnati, Ohio to take on the tournament's No. 2 seed Mount St. Joseph Lions.
