BUFFALO, NY – Haley Unverdorben earned all-tournament honors as the Houghton Highlanders split a pair of matches on Saturday afternoon, losing to John Carroll in the opener then defeating Buffalo State in the second match.

The win ties Houghton for their best start to a season through the first nine games since 2013, and the Highlanders challenged another single-set milestone along the way.
 
Unverdorben collected an impressive 71 assists in seven sets on the day, posting 30 in the first match and 41 in the second.  She is currently averaging nine assists per set on the season.
 
Match #1:
After the Blue Streaks won the opening set, the two teams engaged in an epic battle in the second.  With John Carroll leading 23-19 late in the match, kills by Ally Bittinger and Brooke Lewandowski, coupled with a pair of Blue Streaks errors tied the match.  From that point the two teams traded points until Carroll's Ally Bartalone put away a kill and Sarah Calabrese served an ace to end the match, 35-33. 
 
In the third and final set, the Blue Streaks capitalized on a six point run midway through the match to open up an eight-point lead before trading points with the Highlanders through the remainder of the set, earning the three-set victory
 
Match #2:
Reeling from an exhausting first match of the day, the Highlanders dropped the first set against the Bengals by eight points.
 
With the Highlanders clinging to a one-point, 22-21 lead in the second, a Brooke Lewandowski kill and a pair of Bengal errors tied the match at one set apiece.
 
Houghton picked up the third set before the Bengals stormed back in the third.  With the score tied, 24-24, Lewandowski slammed home another big kill before an error gave the Highlanders their seventh win of the season.
 
GAME VITALS
Match #1:
Match Score: Houghton – 0 | John Carroll – 3
Game Scores: 25-19, 35-33, 25-17
Records: Houghton: 6-2 | John Carroll: 9-2
Venue: Buffalo State College Sports Arena| Attendance: 65

Match #2:
Match Score: Houghton – 3 | Buffalo State – 1
Game Scores: 18-25, 25-21, 25-19, 26-24
Records: Houghton: 7-2 | Buffalo State: 3-7
Venue: Buffalo State College Sports Arena| Attendance: 81

NOTABLE STATS
>> The Highlanders are off to their best start since the 2013 season, when they also opened the year with seven wins in their first nine matches.  That team would finish the year with a 22-11 record.
 
>> Houghton's Ally Bittinger collected a team-high 21 kills and 26 digs, including her third double-double in the past four games against Buffalo State.  Brooke Lewandowski added 18 kills and nine blocks, eight of which came in the second match.  Amy Huddell also notched 14 kills and six blocks for the Highlanders.
 
>> While the research prior to 2010 is inconclusive, the 68 combined points, and the 33 points scored by the Highlanders, in the second set against John Carroll are the most combined and individual team points scored since at least that season.  The NCAA record was established on November 8, 2013 when the Millsaps Majors defeated the Birmingham Southern Panthers in the second set of a four-set victory, 46-44, the most points in NCAA history regardless of division in the 25-point set era, besting the DI mark of 88 points (Manhattan d. Rider 45-43 in 2009). The previous Division III record of 82 points was held by SUNY Genseeo and Rochester (NY) in 2011.
 
 
COACH'S CORNER
"John Carroll was a fantastic match all the way around.  It was really evenly matched, even though we lost in three sets.
 
"In the first set they capitalized on their opportunities and played really strong defense.  We just couldn't put the ball away. 
 
"The second set, we got behind midway through [but] dug deep and had an absolute battle.  It was really fun!
 
"The girls played toe-to-toe with a very strong team and we just didn't have the ball bounce our way.  I was really proud of the way we played.
 
"[The Buffalo State match] was a statement on where we are as a program.  After playing a seriously tough match, the girls were a little sluggish early on, but we showed grit and pushed through the next three sets behind some timely serving and attacking. 
 
"We had some girls who laid it all out on the floor, and I can't say how much I feel like they have really shown what they are made of.  It was a great weekend!" – Coach Joshua Tompkins
 
UP NEXT
The Highlanders travel to the University of Rochester on Tuesday for a matchup with the Yellowjackets at 7:00 p.m.  Last season the Yellowjackets defeated the Highlanders, 3-1.