The third-seeded Hillsdale College volleyball team arrived in Big Rapids, Michigan on Wednesday with unfinished business to take care of.
The Chargers had fallen just short of a Midwest Regional crown in 2019, and with several players back from that squad who were determined to write a different ending in 2021.
Mission accomplished.
Hillsdale weathered every obstacle thrown its way, avenged two regular-season losses, and rallied from significant deficits to capture the second NCAA DII Midwest Regional title and Elite Eight berth in program history on Saturday, beating top-seeded Ferris State 22-25, 26-24, 25-21, 25-16 in the regional final match.
To capture the title, the Chargers had to rally from a one-set deficit against a Bulldog squad that entered the match on a 22-game winning streak, and do it on Ferris St.'s home floor just 24 hours after a grueling five-set victory over Michigan Tech on the semifinal.
But when push came to shove, Hillsdale refused to be denied. The Chargers gained strength as the match wore on, getting more efficient in hitting percentage with each additional set, and hitting a scorching .406 to close out the Bulldogs in the final set.
To get there, however, the Chargers had to battle back from the brink. After dropping the first set, Hillsdale trailed 24-22 in the second with Ferris pressing to take a 2-0 advantage.
Freshman Marilyn Popplewell got a kill for Hillsdale to break serve, and the Chargers went on a run, scoring the final four points to steal the set, 26-24, and break Ferris St.'s momentum in the match.
Hillsdale's resolve was tested again in the third set as the Bulldogs jumped out to a 5-1 lead, prompting an early timeout from Charger coach Chris Gravel.
The Chargers clawed their way back into the set, taking their first lead at 13-12, and from there the lead seesawed back and forth. Hillsdale finally seized control at 21-20, scoring four of the final five points led by two kills from Popplewell and an ace from Alli Wiese to take the set and a 2-1 lead.
Buoyed by the momentum of two close set victories and the realization that their long-awaited prize was close at hand, the Chargers put the hammer down in the fourth and final set, jumping out to a 6-1 lead and never letting Ferris State back into the match. Popplewell sealed the championship with a kill that gave the Chargers a 25-16 set victory.
It was a fitting end for a match where Popplewell doubled both as the Chargers' secret weapon and its breakout star. The freshman from Mason, Ohio finished with a match-high 18 kills to lead an extremely balanced attack for Hillsdale, coming up big in several critical moments.
Few would have predicted a starring role in the Midwest Regional Final for Popplewell early in the year, as the freshman appeared in just seven of the Chargers' first 22 matches, in small roles. But Popplewell has gained confidence and come on strong in the final month of the season, and in five G-MAC and NCAA tournament matches has totaled 48 kills to add another lethal weapon to the Chargers' arsenal up front.
Popplewell was far from the only star for Hillsdale against Ferris. Junior Karoline Shelton had another excellent match, finishing with 17 kills and 22 digs in her third double-double in as many NCAA Tournament matches this season.
Senior Allyssa Van Wienen also was sensational, chipping in 14 kills and three total blocks to help the Chargers get over the top, and Megan Kolp added nine kills off the bench for Hillsdale.
Defensively, Wiese led the Chargers with 26 digs and three service aces, and was one of three Chargers with 20-plus digs in the match. Senior Madie Schider joined Wiese and Shelton with 21 digs as well, and sophomore Audrey Riley also added seven digs and two service aces.
Senior setter Lindsey Mertz helped lead the Chargers to the Regional title with another fine performance conducting the Hillsdale offense, finishing with 57 assists, seven digs, two service aces and three total blocks for the Chargers.
In beating Michigan Tech in the semifinal round last night, and Ferris St. in the championship, Hillsdale (30-4) avenged two of its four losses on the way to the Midwest Regional title, making the victory even sweeter.
The 2021 Chargers join the 2011 Hillsdale College volleyball team as the only two squads in school history to win a regional crown and reach the Elite Eight, putting this class in rarified air in the annals of program history.
It's an especially satisfying accomplishment for Hillsdale's five seniors, including its four fifth-year seniors, Van Wienen, Mertz, Maggie DePorre and Maddie Clark. All four were supposed to graduate in the spring of 2021, but when Covid-19 wiped out the fall 2020 season, all four chose to defer graduation and return to school for an extra year to chase their dreams of NCAA glory one more time. That choice paid off tonight.
The 2011 team saw its run end in the Final Four that year. The Chargers travel to the Elite Eight beginning on Thursday, Dec. 9 in Tampa, Florida looking to match and exceed that run. Hillsdale will find out on Sunday who its quarterfinal opponent will be after the bracket is reseeded, but the goal will be the same no matter which team they face – get to the final match on Saturday and lift the trophy for the first time in school history.
Photo Courtesy of Ferris St. Athletics