RICHMOND, Ind. – The Earlham College volleyball team has advanced to the HCAC Semifinals after a straight-set win over Hanover College on Wednesday evening in Druley Performance Gym. 

Liv Kyrk had a big night for her last match in Druley Performance Gym, hitting 11 kills with a .474 attack percentage and one block. Caylee Brandes scored 11 kills and had four blocks with a .172 percentage. 

Ava Walters dished out 20 assists with two service aces. Sydney Bleyle tallied 10 assists and two aces. Madison Bizjak led the defense with 14 digs, and scored five service aces. As a team, Earlham scored 44 kills, 11 aces and six blocks with a .277 percentage. 

Earlham made it look easy in set one, jumping out to a 10-3 lead. Earlham later scored four straight points to lead 15-5. After two Hanover points, the Quakers went on an 8-1 run to lead 23-8. The Quakers hit .375 in the set with 13 kills and one error. 

Hanover got the jump in set two with a 4-1 lead. Trailing 7-5, Earlham scored a 6-1 run to take the lead 11-8. Hanover scored five straight to take a 15-14 lead, but the Quakers retook the lead on a 3-0 run. Tied at 20, Earlham scored three straight. Hanover responded with two points, and the Quakers hit set point after an attack error. Hanover then scored twice to tie the set at 24, and a kill by Bizjak kept the Quakers in the fight before a pair of Hanover scores. Earlham scored two straight to take a 27-26 lead, but couldn't string another run together until Kyrk and Addison Piatt scored back-to-back kills for the set win 31-29. 

With a 9-7 lead in set three, Earlham scored five straight to take a 14-7 lead. Hanover scored twice, but the Quakers responded with eight straight points for a 22-9 lead. Hanover got a point on a Quaker error, and Earlham scored three straight to complete the sweep. 

The Quakers will continue their postseason journey on Saturday at Transylvania University. First serve is scheduled for 2 pm. Victory on Saturday would send the Quakers to the HCAC Championship game against the winner of Manchester and Mount St. Joseph on Sunday.