TU Starts Crossroads League Play with Commanding Win

UPLAND, Ind. – The Taylor volleyball team (6-7, 1-0 CL) opened the Crossroads League season in front of its home fans Wednesday evening and came away with a commanding 3-0 (25-16, 25-20, 25-15) victory over Goshen.

TU raced out of the gates with a 6-1 advantage that forced a timeout from the visitors. Jaylynn Dunsmore was key in the early going with a trio of consecutive kills.

The Maple Leafs (5-12, 0-1) clawed back to within four points, but Abi Powers and Grace Ieremia powered a run of six straight Trojan points with three service aces and a pair of kills, respectively, as the Trojans cruised to take the first set.

Set number two proved to be much more competitive with the score knotted at 11-11. Ava Kraft and Gracie Conway got the Trojans back on track, however, setting up the chance for a clean sweep.

Neither team could gain separation early in the third and final frame, though that all changed when Reagan Salzbrenner keyed a barrage of kills from the Purple and Grey in a dominant stretch that saw Taylor awarded nine-of-10 points to essentially put the match away.

Ieremia was unstoppable throughout the night, recording 11 kills on a .733 hitting percentage – the second best single-game rate of her Taylor career (minimum 10 attacks). Conway also topped double-digits in kills with an even dozen as the home squad notched a season-high .300 attack percentage.  Of the 42 kills for the Trojans, Lindsay Springer registered 31 assists.

Defensively, Ieremia also led the way with one solo block and three block assists, followed by Salzbrenner and Lindsay Springer's two total blocks apiece. From the back row, McKaylah Flagle, Jen Springer and Chloe Holtz combined for 35 of TU's 44 digs.

Taylor plays again Saturday when it hosts undefeated No. 22 Mount Vernon Nazarene (13-0, 1-0) at 3 p.m. ET inside Odle Arena.