By: Brandy Bidlack, sports information assistant
September 27, 2007
PEPPER PIKE, Ohio - The Bluffton University volleyball team traveled to St. Ursuline on Wednesday, Sept. 26, 2007, and fell to the Arrows in three straight games (30-25, 30-27, 30-21). The Beavers dropped to 6-8 on the season following their seventh consecutive defeat.
From the beginning of the first game, it was clear that the two teams were going to be competitive and evenly matched. The Beavers gained momentum from a kill by senior RACHEL ALVAREZ(Convoy/Crestview) and two kills by freshman CRYSTAL AUGSBURGER (Bowling Green/Bowling Green) midway through the opener, but that was not enough to defeat the Arrows as St. Ursuline built a 29-20 lead and held on despite four straight points with freshman KAYLA PICKERING (Jamestown/Greenview) on serve.
Bluffton University stepped up its intensity in the second game. Fighting for the lead, a kill from freshman BLAKE ZICKAFOOSE(Lima/Lima Senior) tied the score at 18. St. Ursuline regained control, but Bluffton's Kayla Pickering put the Beavers in the lead with an ace and a few Arrow errors. The Beavers could not hold on to the lead as the Arrows' BRANDY WEGLEWSKI served out the final five points for a 30-27 St. Ursuline victory in game two.
The final game of the night showed off St. Ursuline's power as the Arrows took an early lead in the contest. Bluffton University, not giving up hope, tied the game on five separate occasions. Freshman BRITTANY DUFF (Wapakoneta/Wapakoneta) served the Beavers within one point when Rachel Alvarez knotted the score at 14 with a kill. SHAUNA ROWLAND (Bucyrus/Wynford) put the Beavers on top thanks to an assist from ALLISON STREICHER(Continental/Continental). The game score toggled back and forth until St. Ursuline rolled off nine of the game's final 10 points for a 30-21 victory that was not indicative of how competitive the match was.
Pickering led the Beavers with her fifth double-double, pounding 14 kills to go along with her 17 digs. Sophomore libero BRITTANY ROTH (Findlay/Findlay) picked up a team-high 21 digs. Junior CHELSEA WYSE (Archbold/Archbold) and Shauna Rowland finished with 17 and 15 assists, respectively.
Bluffton returns to action on Saturday, Sept. 29, when it hosts a tri-match in Founders Hall against Hanover College and Otterbein College. The first match is scheduled to start at noon.
-BEAVERS-