Volleyball opens OAC/HCAC Challenge with sweep of Transylvania (Ky.), 4-set win over Hanover (Ind.)

By Tim Glon

| Tournament Site |

COLUMBUS -- The Ohio Northern volleyball team opened play in the OAC/HCAC Challenge with a three-set sweep of Transylvania (Ky.) and a 4-set win over Hanover (Ind.) Friday at Capital.

The Polar Bears (8-5) topped Transylvania (8-7) 25-22, 25-23, 25-21 and Hanover (5-8) 25-17, 25-16, 17-25, 25-15.

Sophomore Ellie Gillespie led ONU with 12 of the team's 34 kills against Transy.

Freshman Kelli Weininger had six kills and sophomore Kaitlann Hogrefe and freshman Claire Heitkamp each had five kills.

Freshman Mackenzie Griffith had a career-high 20 digs and freshman Kristin Sessler added 19 digs for ONU.

"This was a big win for us," ONU head coach Kate Witte said. "Transylvania is a very talented team and we played very well throughout the match."

In that evening match, ONU used an early 6-0 run to go up 9-3, then used a 5-1 run to take a commanding 23-16 lead late en route to a 23-17 opening set win.

Heitkamp had five kills and Hogrefe four kills in Set 1.

ONU did not allow HC to score consecutive points in the entire second set, pulling away for a 25-16 win.

The Panthers rallied in Set 3, racing to leads of 7-0, 15-6 and 22-11. ONU rallied late, using a 6-1 run to pull within 23-17, but HC would win the set 25-17.

Northern took that momentum and lever gave it back, using a 6-1 run to take an early 11-5 lead in Set 4.

ONU led 20-10 and scored four of the last five points, including three on kills by Heitkamp, to win the set 25-15.

"I was happy with the way we responded at the end of Set 3," Witte said. "We were able to carry that momentum over into Set 4 and close out the match. Hanover did a great job on defense, which frustrated us. But we found a way to perservere."

ONU will warp up tournamernt play on Saturday with a 9:30 am match against Mount Saint Joseph and a 1:30 pm match against area-rival Bluffton at the Capital Center.