ALBION, Mich. – Desperate to avoid being extended to a fifth set, Albion College rallied from a 12-7 deficit in the fourth to earn a four set (16-25, 25-17, 25-16, 25-20) victory over Olivet College.

It was the first Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association victory of the season for the Britons (7-6 overall, 1-4 MIAA) who hope to rally in the second half of the first round of league play.

With Rachel Zawodny serving, Albion ripped off a six-point run to forge a tie at 12 in the fourth set. The Britons seized the lead for good when Marie Pregenzer terminated a point and Taylor Rosenthal followed with a kill and a block to move the score to 21-18.

"We played with confidence after Rachel's long service run," Albion Head Coach Kristin de St. Aubin said.

Olivet scored consecutive points to cut the margin to 21-20, but Emily Buckelew's kill brought around Zawodny's rotation to serve. Zawodny served up two aces as Albion closed out the match.

Albion had seven hitting errors in losing the first set, and it had seven combined in the second and third sets.

 "We reduced our unforced errors and made in-game adjustments. Olivet took away the middle of the floor so we had to get big-time kills from Lauren Outwater and Richelle Hawkins and Emily Buckelew did a great job on the outside."

Outwater finished with a season-high 16 kills with just two errors for a .311 hitting percentage. She completed the double-double with 12 digs and also knocked down three block assists.

Buckelew and Hawkins finished with four kills apiece.

Taylor Rosenthal added nine kills and five blocks (a solo and four assists), Stephanie Thurner had eight kills and two block assists and Pregenzer finished with seven kills and six blocks (a solo and five assists).

Madelyn Notenbaum and Allison Turner combined to produce 31 of Olivet's 40 kills.

Albion continues league play with a Saturday match at Trine University.