The Oglethorpe volleyball team broke its nine-match losing streak Thursday evening, defeating in-state opponent LaGrange, 3-0 (26-24, 25-21, 25-22), in Dorough Field House.

All three sets were tightly contested, but the home side prevailed in all three. In the first, LaGrange went on a 6-1 run early to take a 6-2 lead in the set, but the Petrels quickly fought back, going on a 7-1 run of their own to take a 12-10 advantage. LaGrange got the lead back, 13-12, with a three-point run, but the Petrels answered with another run of their own to re-take a 17-14 lead. From there, the two teams traded points, which suited the Petrels just fine.

LaGrange never wrestled the lead back, though they tied the score three more times and saved two set points. After LaGrange tied the score at 24-24, Oglethorpe junior outside hitter McKenna Bondarenko slammed home an assist from junior setter Anna Marie DiSalvo for a 25-24 lead. On the next point, a LaGrange attack error sealed the set for the Petrels, 26-24.

In the second set, the Petrels got off to a big start, taking a 5-1 lead. After LaGrange cut the advantage to 8-7, the Petrels fired off three straight points to take an 11-7 lead, then pushed the advantage out even further to 15-10. LaGrange rallied with three straight of their own to cut the lead to two, then embarked on a 5-1 run to tie the score, 19-19.

It was at that point, thought that Oglethorpe ran off a 5-1 run to abruptly kill off the set. Bondarenko provided another big kill off a DiSalvo assist, and the Petrels won the second set, 25-21.

The third set began with another five-point Petrel advantage, as they ran out to an 8-3 lead. However, the visiting Panthers had another answer, gradually closing the gap and tying the score, 12-12.

The Petrels re-asserted control of the set quickly, running off a 5-1 run to take an 18-14 lead. However, LaGrange again fought back, embarking on an 8-3 run and actually taking a 22-21 lead.

At that point, though, Oglethorpe ratcheted up the pressure and ended the match just as soon as it looked like the Panthers might work their way back into it. Bondarenko finished another DiSalvo assist to tie the set, 22-22. Then, after a LaGrange attack error put the Petrels up one, Bondarenko again came up with a huge kill, this time off an assist from junior libero Megan Makuck. Finally, junior middle hitter Lisa Inglis put the match to bed by finishing off a DiSalvo feed. The Petrels won the third and final set, 25-22.

Bondarenko offered a standout performance for the home side, finishing with 19 kills and 10 digs. Her 19 kills came on 34 attempts with just two attack errors, giving her a .500 hitting percentage on the night. DiSalvo passed out 29 of the team's 36 total assists and chipped in 10 digs of her own, while Makuck finished in double figures with 11 digs.

The win improves the squad to 5-14 on the season. They'll re-enter conference play on Saturday for the final weekend of SAA competition, taking on Birmingham-Southern Saturday at 3 p.m. and finishing with Millsaps Sunday at noon.