By Tim Stried
September 23, 2002
The Bluffton College volleyball team won their 2002 home opener last Wednesday night in Founders Hall and has remained at the .500 mark over their last 12 matches to improve their overall season record to 7-11.
BC will travel to The College of Wooster Thursday evening and will compete at the Ohio Wesleyan Invitational this weekend, Sept. 27 and 28. The Beavers will open play in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference on Oct. 1 against Defiance College at 7:30 p.m. in Founders Hall.
Sophomore middle hitter Courtney Tisher continues to lead the attack this season, as she now has 172 kills (2.7 kpg), a .282 hitting percentage and 59 total blocks. Sophomore outside hitter Erin Kreim has added 135 kills (2.1 kpg) and leads the team with 264 digs (4.2 dpg).
Junior Erin Cooper and freshman Leslie Overmyer continue to set up those kills, with 322 assists and 248 assists, respectively. Freshman Karah Weldy owns a team-best 48 service aces and ranks second in digs with 198.
Bluffton defeated Ohio Wesleyan University 3-0 (30-19, 31-29, 31-290 last Wednesday night in the Beavers' first appearance of the season in front of the home crowd. Tisher's 14 kills and four blocks led the way to BC's third win in a four-game span, while Cooper had a team-high 18 digs and added 17 assists and Overmyer posted a team-high 19 assists.
On Saturday Bluffton traveled to Wheaton College in Illinois and played three matches, winning one. HCAC member Franklin College dealt BC a four game loss in the opener (15-30, 30-24, 16-30, 24-30) despite nine kills four blocks and four aces from Tisher and 19 digs from Weldy.
Host Wheaton shutout Bluffton in the second match 3-0 (18-30, 28-30, 27-30) as Tisher and Kreim both had 10 kills and sophomore Kelly Kettinger posted a team-high 17 digs. In their final match, Bluffton topped Maranatha Baptist Bible College 3-0 (30-25, 30-25, 30-26) as Kreim totaled 12 digs and 21 digs, Cooper collected 21 assists and senior Janelle Beck had a career high 23 digs.
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