DEFIANCE, OHIO – When the dust had settled inside the gymnasium at Defiance College's Karl H. Weaner Center Wednesday, Nov. 4, Manchester University head coach Bryndon Paulsen was thinking about seven members of his 2015 squad.

"(The senior class) is a huge part of why we (got into the conference tournament field)," he said after the squad concluded the program's first appearance in the league's postseason tournament since 2008, with a four-set loss to the host Yellow Jackets. "They've been working their tails off since we took over the program."

Three of the Black and Gold's Class of 2016 group added one final sparkling chapter to their collegiate careers in Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference quarterfinal round action. Outside hitter Sarah Pruden (Noblesville, Ind.), concluding a four-year run with MU that saw her earn the conference's Freshman of the Year award and end up as one of only five players in school history to total 950-or-more kills, drilled four at the Yellow Jacket defense that couldn't be dug up and added two block assists. Middle hitter Morgan Pavelka, also a native of Noblesville, closed her Spartans' playing days ranked in the top five all-time in service aces and just outside of the same area in total blocks after compiling six kills, a .231 attack percentage and two block assists. Right side hitter Tiffany Clark (North Manchester, Ind.) turned in seven digs and an assist.

Beyond MU's senior player numbers stood the evening totals of junior outside hitter Courtney Chowning (Yorktown, Ind.) and freshman right side hitter Haley Duncan (Albion, Ind.). Chowning, ending her third year in the program as the team's kills (269) and digs (262) leader, launched 12 kills at DC's defense. Duncan turned in 13 kills and a glittering .333 attack percentage. A trio of freshman added impressive efforts as well with middle hitter Hannah Tevis (Royal Center, Ind.) compiling seven kills and three block assists; setter Dakota Stanichuk (Troy, Mich.) tallying 32 assists and 10 digs; and freshman outside hitter Farren Miller (Lebanon, Ind.) winding up with three service aces.

Paulsen's crew started slowly, dropping a 25-13 decision in the first set but bounced back in the second set to lead midway through before the hosts rallied for a 25-19 win. MU, which showed the crowd inside the Weaner Center its offensive capabilities in the second frame with a .348 attack percentage, continued the stretch, tallying a .269 effort in the third set to win 25-19. The visitors were on the verge of pushing the match to a decisive fifth set, but DC, answering a 17-12 deficit in the fourth set, came back, registering 13 of the final 17 points for a 25-21 win to claim the match.

"We looked early like a team that hadn't been in the tournament in a while," Paulsen noted. "However, in the second and third sets, and even in the fourth, we settled down, had fun and played our brand of volleyball.

"I've got to credit the entire team (for what we were able to do this year)," he added. "You look at the work the second stringers did in practice as an example. They weren't in the stat sheets, but they made us that much better … all the way up and down the line, it was a total team effort."