<body><div><img src="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?type=thumbnail_580x000&amp;url=4WF74r_0wDdPmUC00" alt="https://img.particlenews.com/image.php?url=4WF74r_0wDdPmUC00" width="800" height="450" >HAMMOND, Ind. - Abby Alan recorded a match-high 22 kills (tied for a career-high) to go along with nine digs to lead the Davenport University women's volleyball team to a 3-1 win over Cedarville on the first day of the Midwest Region Crossover on Friday afternoon at the Hammond Sportsplex. The sophomore has been dominant lately, helping guide the Panthers to five wins in their last six matches. It is the third time in the last five matches that Alan has eclipsed 20 kills. Mehl Hansen also had a career -day, finishing the match with a season-high 49 assists, as well as 12 digs. The junior has now recorded a double-double in consecutive matches.Trailing 19-17 late in the first set, the Panthers pieced together a 3-1 run to put the score at 20-20. After surrendering a point on the ensuing play, DU finished the set on a 5-2 rally to take down the Yellow Jackets 25-23. During the final stretch, Alan recorded the three final points (all kills) to push DU past Cedarville, going ahead 1-0 in the match.Alan led the charge on an early 5-1 Davenport run to bring the Panthers within one (7-6) of the Yellow Jackets early into the second set. Moments later, a kill by Kaitlyn Marsh off a Hansen assist spurred a dominating 8-0 rally for the Panthers as they took a 14-8 lead, forcing a CU timeout. However, Cedarville slowly climbed its way back into the game, and the set eventually was tied at 26 apiece. The Yellow Jackets scored consecutive points on the ensuing possessions to tie the match 1-1 following the 28-26 victory. After a closely contested first and second set, the Panthers dominated set three. As a team, Davenport hit a scorching .640 in the set as the offense was clicking on all cylinders. With it tied 9-9, DU went on to outscore CU 16-3 to take down the Yellow Jackets 25-12. During that stretch, Alan and Rachel Youngblood each tallied four kills. Emma Turnquist sealed the set with back-to-back kills off Hansen's assists to secure the win. Set four again came down to the wire with another slim two-point victory for the Panthers, coming out on top with a 28-26 victory. Davenport put together a critical 8-1 rally midway through the set to go ahead 18-15 over the Yellow Jackets. During the rally, Youngblood had three consecutive service aces, while Alan capped the run with back-to-back kills. At the end of the set, trailing 26-25, Turnquist slammed consecutive kills and the Panthers regained a one-point advantage (27-26). On the ensuing play, Marsh delivered the dagger with a kill standing in the middle of the net to take down CU 28-26 and win the match 3-1. Turnquist finished with 14 kills while hitting at an impressive .478 clip in the win for the Panthers. Youngblood added 11 kills and five digs for DU, while Marsh chipped in with nine kills and swung at a .615 clip.Defensively, Hayley Carr notched a team-high 13 digs for Davenport.The Panthers will be back in action tomorrow (Saturday, Oct. 19) for day two of the Midwest Region Crossover, matching up against Thomas More at 12:30 p.m. (EST) and Drury at 5:30 p.m. (EST).</div></body>

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Panthers Start Weekend with 3-1 Victory Over Cedarville

HAMMOND, Ind. - Abby Alan recorded a match-high 22 kills (tied for a career-high) to go along with nine digs to lead the Davenport University women's volleyball team to a 3-1 win over Cedarville on the first day of the Midwest Region Crossover on Friday afternoon at the Hammond Sportsplex.