By: Shannon Ramer, sports information assistant
October 15, 2007
CRESTVIEW HILLS, Ky. - The Bluffton University volleyball team traveled to Thomas More College on October 13, 2007 and had contests against Thomas More, Mount Union, Spalding, and Thiel. The Beavers finished 1-3, defeating Thiel College in three straight games. Bluffton is now 10-14 overall and 2-2 in HCAC action.
The Beavers played a four-game match against a strong Thomas More squad on Friday night. The Saints knocked off the Beavers, 31-29, 24-30, 30-27, and 30-24. Freshman hitter KAYLA PICKERING(Jamestown/Greenview) led Bluffton with 16 digs and a career-high 22 kills. Sophomore hitter MICHELE ROSEN (Harrison/Harrison) pounded 18 kills. Freshman standout SHAUNA ROWLAND(Bucyrus/Wynford) guided the Beavers with 31 assists. Providing the Beavers with a dominant presence at the net, freshman CRYSTAL AUGSBURGER (Bowling Green/Bowling Green) tallied seven kills with a team-high five blocks. Junior setter CHELSEA WYSE(Archbold/Archbold) posted a double-double with 14 assists and 14 digs in the contest against Thomas More.
Bluffton started out by winning its first game against Spalding in Saturday's nightcap, 30-23. Despite a valiant effort from the Beavers, they were unable to pull out a victory as Spalding rallied to post victories in the next three games, 30-27, 30-23, and 30-24. Rowland led the Beavers with 17 assists 11 kills, and 10 digs for her third triple-double of the season. Freshman Crystal Augsburger added eight kills and four blocks for the Beavers. Rosen tallied seven kills and a game-high five blocks. Senior RACHEL ALVAREZ(Convoy/Crestview) knocked down five kills and four blocks. From her outside hitter position, freshman ALLISON STREICHER(Continental/Continental) smoked seven kills with only one error for a .353 hitting percentage. Pickering tallied seven kills and picked up a team-high 16 digs in the match.
Bluffton pushed Ohio Athletic Conference power Mt. Union in game one, but the Beavers came out on the wrong end of a 3-0 sweep at the hands of the Purple Raiders (30-28, 30-21, 30-12). Sophomore BRITTANY ROTH (Findlay/Findlay) had a team-high 11 digs. Rowland led the Beavers with six kills and 10 digs. Freshman hitters Streicher and LOGAN LEMASTER (Jamestown/Greenview), who has been sidelined until the Thomas More tournament, each had two blocks. BRITTANY DUFF (Wapakoneta/ Wapakoneta) set up the Bluffton hitters with a team-high 12 assists.
Bluffton stayed strong as the Beavers closed play at the Thomas More Tournament, posting a 3-0 win over the Thiel College Tomcats (30-28, 30-14, 30-26). Pickering rebounded with a .471 hitting percentage and team-high 19 kills. She also picked up 11 digs. Rowland helped the Beavers with 15 digs, 10 kills, and two service aces. Sophomore libero Brittany Roth led the Beavers with 16 digs. Wyse collected 23 assists and 15 digs. The Beavers now stand 10-14 overall and 2-2 HCAC play with three weeks remaining in the regular season.
The Beavers will return to Founders Hall on Tuesday, October 16, when they host HCAC rival Anderson University. The match is slated to start at 7 p.m.
-BEAVERS-