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The matchup between Montcalm Community College and Delta College was an entertaining battle for the home crowd in Sidney, Wednesday, Oct. 7, however, the host Centurions couldn’t overcome the mental errors that led to a 3-1 win for the Pioneers. 

The Pioneers (6-3 MCCAA Northern, 11-11 overall) came into the matchup with the chance to secure the top spot in the conference more firmly while Montcalm (2-5 MCCAA Northern, 3-12 overall) was eyeing to get back into the winning column and earn a signature win at home.  

After both teams split the first two sets, the Pioneers regained the lead with a close 25-23 win in set three and managed to scrap the last four points in the fourth set to win 25-21 to end the game. 

Delta opened the first set with a suffocating front row presence, jumping out to a 7–1 lead behind a series of blocks and back corner kills. MCC struggled to settle into system, with Makenzie Nearman, who had been dominant all night, and Alexis Champagne repeatedly finding seams in transition. 

Two timeouts helped Montcalm regroup, and a late run — sparked by back-to-back aces from sophomore Erin Borek (Grand Rapids, Mich.) and kills from sophomore Edy Davidson (Carson City, Mich.) and Ayanna Sanders (Caledonia, Mich.)— cut the deficit to 17–13, forcing Delta to burn a timeout of its own. 

But the Pioneers closed the door with a 7–1 finishing push, highlighted by a double stuff block from Nearman and Claire Beck on Sanders to end the set. 

In the second set, the Centurions flipped the script immediately. 

A four-point burst — capped by freshman outside hitter Aubrie Uebele (Greenville, Mich.) winning a tight tip battle at the net and Delta failing to handle consecutive first‑ball contacts — put MCC ahead 4–0. The set turned into a showcase of grit — sprawling digs, ceiling ricochets and a wild rally — where Uebele’s one-handed save kept the ball alive long enough for Delta to misplay it at the net. 

Delta clawed back to 6–5, but MCC’s offense steadied. Borek delivered a sharp kill, sophomore Jocee Pleune (Grant, Mich.) dug one ball after another, and Delta’s serve receive faltered. 

After a timeout at 14–8, the Pioneers mounted pressure, trimming the Centurions’ lead to 19–17, but MCC answered with Sanders’ kill, a Delta violation, and Borek’s net‑kissing ace to push ahead 24–21. Delta crossed the line on the final point, giving MCC the set and allowing the Centurions to tie the match. 

Montcalm, once again, got off to a good start in the third set, thanks to a string of Delta errors and a strong block from Uebele, allowing MCC to jump out to a 4-1 lead.  

After Delta tied it 6-6, momentum shifted to MCC as the Centurions went on a 9-0 run that was capped with a kill from Sanders and a strong serve by sophomore Abbie Rushmore (Lakeview, Mich.). MCC took an 18-11 lead off Borek’s kill and it looked as though the Centurions were going to take the series lead. However, MCC began making mental mistakes and it opened the door for a Delta comeback. 

The Pioneers managed to tie the set at 20-20 and took a 22-21 lead after Borek made a great save for MCC, but the team then hit the ball out of bounds. A bad serve and a bad receive put the Centurions in a tough spot as the Pioneers led 24-22. Sanders got yet another kill to cut it back to one but on the next play, Delta’s Nearman made an excellent block that ended the set. 

“We started making crucial errors. We had big momentum, but when we got down to it, we were more reserved. We were just creating more errors, and that allowed our momentum shift to go down,” Centurions head coach Kara Youngs said. “The more errors you have the harder it is to keep your momentum up, and then we just gave that momentum over to them. We made too many set errors, which opened the opportunity for Delta to come back.” 

Delta jumped ahead early in the fourth set, but MCC answered with kills from Borek, Davidson, and Rushmore, plus a sharp tip from freshman Rylee Mooney (Belding, Mich.) to stay within reach at 14–8. 

Montcalm’s defense kept them alive — Borek with a strong kill, Rushmore with a crafty tip, and a string of Delta receive errors that pulled MCC within 18–17. 

But every time MCC neared the lead, Delta responded. 

Nearman delivered multiple kills and blocks, Champagne found the back corner twice and MCC’s late‑set errors resurfaced. Delta closed the match on a 4–0 run to win 25–21 and take the match, 3–1. 

Youngs said her team still has to learn to keep momentum and confidence up when the game gets tight.  

“It’s about remembering to have confidence when the game is on the line,” she said. “We have to make those same types of plays we do when the match is not close so when it gets down to it, down to the wire, we still have that same mentality you had 10 points ago. I think it’s just a mental thing, and it’s that kind of mentality that we have to overcome at times.” 

Youngs credited her team for passing well and staying in its offensive system more. She also said her team did well defensively, making transitional plays based on where Delta players were hitting.  

“I thought that put us in more successful spots on offense,” she said. 

The Centurions will look to avenge a 3-1 loss at Great Lakes Christian College in September as they host the Crusaders (8-7 overall) at 6:30 p.m., Monday, Oct. 12.  

Youngs said her team will have to be more mentally prepared for this game. 

“For this game, we need to figure out our mentality when it comes down to the last five points,” she said. “We need to play cleaner there.”