The Purdue University Calumet volleyball team showed more glimpses of improvement in forcing a fifth set in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference thriller at Indiana South Bend Tuesday, but fell just short in a 3-2 setback.
The Titans (8-6, 2-3 CCAC) won the deciding set by just two points to edge the Peregrines (5-11, 1-4 CCAC) in five, 25-19, 20-25, 25-21, 21-25, 15-13.
Freshman Carissa Jones (Whiting, Ind./Bishop Noll) had one of her best performances of the season, leading the Peregrines with a career-high 16 kills to go along with a team-best 18 digs and three block assists.
Akeelah Muhammad (Chicago Heights, Ill./Bloom Township/Kishwaukee) and Gabrielle Martin (Kankakee Valley, Ind./Kankakee Valley) also had strong outings, as Muhammad swung for a team-high .353 attack percentage en route to 15 kills and six total blocks, while Martin added 14 kills and 13 digs.
Setter Haley Smith (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley) topped her previous career-high in assists with 52 Tuesday while adding 12 digs. On defense, Samantha Basar (Plainfield, Ill./North/Kishwaukee) had 16 digs and three service aces and Alexis Michael (Hillsdale, Mich./Hillsdale) had a season-best 12 digs off the bench.
The back-and-forth match featured 25 ties and 12 lead changes.
Krystle Troyer lead the Titans with 15 kills, Ali Ritchie added 35 assists and Melanie Troyer had 31 digs on defense.
The Peregrines return to action with Friday and Saturday’s CCAC Crossover tournament, hosted at Purdue Calumet’s Fitness and Recreation Center. The Peregrines will take on Roosevelt and Robert Morris at 3 and 7 p.m. Friday, before facing Cardinal Stritch Saturday at 4 p.m.
The tournament will feature six CCAC teams and 12 total matches across the two days.