October 21, 2008
UPLAND, Ind. - The Bluffton University volleyball team saw its two-match winning streak snapped by nationally ranked Taylor University on Tuesday, Oct. 21, 2008. Bluffton fell in three straight sets (25-15, 25-18, 25-18) to a Taylor squad that helped its school to historic win number 1,000.
Freshman JENNA ESHLEMAN (Landisville, Penn./Hempfield) led the Bluffton attack with seven kills, while ALLISON STREICHER(Continental) and CHRISTIANA SINDELAR (Napoleon) chipped in with five kills each. Freshman HEATHER RODMAN(Mansfield/Mansfield Christian) stuffed the Taylor hitters with three block assists.
SHAUNA ROWLAND (Bucyrus/Wynford) finished with all 22 of Bluffton's assists and she also tied for team-high honors with seven digs. Junior libero BRITTANY ROTH (Findlay) and Eshleman also added seven digs in the loss to Taylor.
The Beavers struggled with the Taylor attack as the home team pounded 40 kills on 95 attempts for a .274 hitting percentage, while Bluffton managed a miniscule .042 hitting percentage thanks to 21 errors. Both squads served three aces, but Taylor did the job at the net with 10 blocks to just three for the visitors.
Bluffton returns to action on Friday, Oct. 24, when the Beavers open a three-match Heartland Conference homestand with Transylvania. The match is slated to start at 7 p.m. in Founders Hall. How Bluffton fares during the upcoming stretch with Transy, Rose-Hulman and Franklin will likely determine whether the Beavers get to continue their season at the Heartland Conference tournament on November 8-9.