Purdue Calumet Falls to National Power Trinity Christian

PUC-PeregrinsThe host Trinity Christian College volleyball team proved to be too much in a Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference road loss for the Purdue University Calumet volleyball team Tuesday.

The Peregrines (8-16, 3-8 CCAC) fell in three sets to the Trolls (23-7, 11-1 CCAC), 25-15, 25-20, 25-5. Trinity Christian, which is receiving votes in the NAIA Coaches’ Top 25 poll, has won four conference sets in a row after dropping their lone league loss to Cardinal Stritch in the CCAC Crossover Tournament Oct. 4.

Freshman Carissa Jones (Whiting, Ind./Bishop Noll) led the Peregrines with seven kills and nine digs and sophomore Haley Smith (Bourbonnais, Ill./Bradley) added 13 assists. Senior Kelly Duke (Vicksburg, Mich./Vicksburg) led Purdue Calumet on defense with a season-best 12 digs.

At the net, Kayla Elsea (Palmyra, Ind./Crawford County) and Erica Dinnocenzo (Crete, Ill./Illinois Lutheran) had three block assists to lead the Peregrines.

Courtney Samudio led the host Trolls, who hit .311 for the match, with 13 kills and Erynn Schuh added 29 assists and 10 digs.

Purdue Calumet returns to action Friday and Saturday at the second CCAC Crossover of the season, this time hosted by Trinity Christian. Friday, the Peregrines will face St. Xavier (4 p.m. CT) and Trinity International (8 p.m. CT), followed by a matchup with Judson Saturday at noon.

The squad returns home Monday, Oct. 27, for a nonleague match with Moody Bible.