Volleyball ends the regular season with three set victory over Marietta

By Ashley Birchmeier

ADA - The Ohio Northern volleyball team defeated Marietta on Saturday 25-18, 25-14, 25-17 at the ONU Sports Center on Senior Day to end the regular season.

The Polar Bears improve to 18-9 overall, 6-3 Ohio Athletic Conference, while Marietta falls 10-19, 2-7.

With the win Ohio Northern has secured at least a 5th place finish in the OAC and depending the out come of John Carroll's game, as well as Heidelberg the Polar Bears my advance higher in the standings.

Junior Ellie Gillespie led the attack for the Polar Bears recording a team-high 13 kills, and senior Amanda Volosin added a team-high 17 digs.

Northern was in control of set 1 jumping to a early 3-0 lead as Gillespie picked up two kills early. Marietta would pull within one late in the set, 16-17, but the Polar Bears were able to word off the attack and rattle off four straight points. A kill from sophomore Ashley Borchers secured the set 1 victory, 25-18.

Set 2 started a little more even as Marietta was able to hang with ONU and lock the score at 6-6. The Polar Bears, however, would go on to score the next eight points as it capitalized off the Pioneers errors. Northern would go on to score seven of the last ten points to win set 2, 25-14.

The Polar Bears dominated set 3 scoring the first five points of the set. After a kill by freshman Hannah Davis and an ace from Volosin ONU was able to extend its lead 17-11. With a kill bysophomore Claire Heitkamp, and a series of errors from Marietta the Polar Bears were able to secure the win 25-17.

The Polar Bears hit .237 for the match on 41 kills with 14 errors, while the Pioneers hit .086 on 30 kills with 20 errors.

Ohio Northern is next in action next week as they begin competition in the OAC tournament.