October 18, 2008
BLUFFTON, Ohio - The Bluffton University volleyball team snapped its three-match losing skid with a pair of victories over Goshen College and Eastern Mennonite University in a tri-match between Mennonite institutions on Saturday, October 18, 2008. Bluffton downed Goshen in four sets before completing the sweep with a 3-0 victory over the Royals.
The 13 victories by the 2008 Beavers are the most since 2003 when Bluffton went 17-16. It marks the most wins during Coach Yarnell's four-year tenure as the head coach.
Bluffton used excellent hitting to take down a solid Goshen College squad by scores of 25-22, 24-26, 25-17 and 25-18 as the Beavers hit .277 for the match. Freshman JENNA ESHLEMAN (Landisville, Penn./Hempfield) exploded for 15 kills and 13 digs in the victory. It marked her seventh double-double of the season. ALLISON STREICHER (Continental) and CHRISTIANA SINDELAR(Napoleon) knocked down 14 and 10 spikes, respectively, in the lidlifter. Sindelar, NICOLE WOOD (Tiffin/Hopewell Loudon) and CRYSTAL AUGSBURGER (Bowling Green) were all in on three blocks against the Maple Leafs.
Five Beavers picked up double digits in digs, led by junior libero BRITTANY ROTH (Findlay) who tallied 21. SHAUNA ROWLAND(Bucyrus/Wynford), who paced the Beavers with 41 assists, finished with 17 digs and AMY SIMINDINGER (Lima/Bath) added 12 digs in her first extensive action of the season. Allison Streicher notched 10 digs for her first career double-double. Rowland collected her 10th double-double of the season and 19th of her career in the four-set win.
Coach Yarnell took advantage of the opportunity to rotate players freely as Bluffton dominated EMU from the start in the Beavers' 3-0 (25-14, 25-15, 25-16) sweep of Mennonite rivals. Allison Streicher and Christiana Sindelar led the home team with 10 and nine kills, respectively. Bluffton hit a phenomenal .351 for the match with 45 kills and just 12 errors on 94 total attacks.
Rowland tallied 25 assists while freshman MORGAN HICKS(Convoy/Crestview) added 10 in the win. Roth was the only Beaver in double digits defensively with 10 digs.
The Beavers return to action on Tuesday, Oct. 21, when they travel to Upland, Ind. to face Taylor University. The match is slated to start at 7 p.m. Following the trip to Taylor the Beavers will return for three consecutive HCAC battles in Founders Hall, starting Friday, Oct. 24, against Transylvania.