Big Rapids, Mich. - The University of Findlay volleyball team battled a familiar foe in the first round of the NCAA Division II Midwest Regional on Thursday, Dec. 5 which is being hosted by Ferris State University in Big Rapids, Michigan. Taking on the Hillsdale College Chargers, seeded third in the regional, the Oilers picked up a 3-1 (25-21, 22-25, 25-17, 25-14) victory to advance to the Round of 32 for the first time since 2017. 

The two teams are no strangers to each other as the Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) foes have played four times this season and have faced off 12 times in the last three calendar years. Hillsdale won both regular-season meetings with UF, but when the lights shined the brightest, it was Findlay that got the job done. Two weeks ago, the Oilers ended Hillsdale's 21-match winning streak in G-MAC Tournament games and, today, ended the Chargers' season, just as it did in 2017 when Findlay defeated their rival from Michigan in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

"We knew it was going to be tough", said head coach Wick Colchagoff, who is now in his seventh NCAA Tournament. "Over the last two years we were three-and-three against (Hillsdale) so I told the team it's like a Game 7 in the series."

Trailing 18-16 in the first set, Findlay scored six of the next seven points to take control at 22-19 and sealed the set victory with a kill by junior Kenzie Hoelscher.

Hillsdale jumped out to an early 6-1 lead in the second and would go on to lead for the entirety of the set, tying the match back up a 1-1.

In the third set, the Oilers set the tone early when Hoelscher led off with back-to-back aces, setting the tone for the frame. Findlay would finish the third with four aces including one in the middle of a seven-point scoring run that saw a two-point lead extended to an eight-point lead at 23-15. That run of points was momentum changing and carried into the fourth set where UF scored the first five points.

Findlay's lead in the final frame ballooned to 11-3 before a small comeback effort by the Chargers cut the score to 14-10, but it was no matter to the Oilers who ended the match on a dominant 11-3 run, sending the Orange and Black into the second round.

Coach Colchagoff continued, "Getting the win over (Hillsdale) was a special accomplishment for this team because we've been really good the last few years and just haven't gotten over the hump. Last year we were left out of the NCAA Tournament and that was really disappointing, and since that time our team really put an emphasis on winning the conference tournament so that we would get the automatic bid and we did that two weeks ago. We feel like we can compete with anybody when our game is on."

The Oilers hit .261 in the match while holding the Chargers to just a .161 hitting percentage, their second-lowest hitting percentage of the season. Findlay out dug HC 81-to-66 in the match.

Sophomore Hannah Miller led the way with 16 kills and also had 16 digs while junior Alana Pohlman, playing a new position as an outside hitter, tallied 15 kills while hitting .353 She also led the team with three assisted blocks. Freshman Grace Auer picked up 13 kills.

Junior Emma White, recently named all-region by the Division II Conference Commissioners' Association (D2CCA), guided the offense with 36 assists and helped lead the defense, as well, picking up 19 digs. She also had two service aces. Hoelscher was the team's leader with three aces in the match. Senior Ava Doster also caused Hillsdale fits as she also recorded 16 digs.

Findlay, the sixth-seed in the region, now awaits the winner of Grand Valley State, seeded second, and Quincy, seeded seventh. The Oilers will take on one of those opponents tomorrow, Dec. 6 at 4:00 pm in Big Rapids.