Posted: Sep 04, 2009
Sept. 4, 2009
By: Erin Neal, sports information assistant
RIVER FOREST, Ill. - The Bluffton University volleyball team got off to a great start in their 2009 campaign with two victories over Coe University, 3-0 (25-17, 27-25, 25-15), and host Dominican University, 3-1 (16-25, 25-20, 25-14, 25-16). The wins set the Beavers' record at 2-0 to start the season. It was also a successful day at the Dominican Tournament as each Beaver saw action in the team's debut match. Freshman Brooke Distel (Carey/Carey), Trenna Marcum (Tiro/Buckeye Central) and Maggie Gerwe (Norwood/Norwood) all made their first appearances for the Bluffton volleyball squad.
Leading the front lines on offense against Coe were sophomores Jenna Eshleman (Landisville, Pa./Hempfield) and Nicole Wood (Tiffin/Hopewell Loudon), with 10 and nine kills respectively. Rounding out the Beavers' offensive effort were Allison Streicher (Continental/Continental) with five kills, Courtney Zimmerman (Leesburg/Fairfield) with four kills, Distel tallying three kills, Michele Rosen (Harrison/Harrison) and Shauna Rowland (Bucyrus/Wynford) each with two kills apiece. Marcum and Kelsey White (Sandusky/Perkins) both added one kill each. Rowland directed the Bluffton offense with 27 assists.
Defensively, senior Brittany Roth (Findlay/Findlay) scooped up 14 digs, followed by Rowland with nine, Streicher with six and Kayla Pickering (Jamestown/Greenview) with four. Rosen also served up two aces, while Eshleman and Rowland each had one ace apiece.
In the second match-up with Dominican University, the Beavers fell in the lidlifter before rallying to take the Stars down in three straight sets. As a team, the Beavers had 38 kills, with Eshleman crushing 13. Streicher and Wood also helped to pace the offensive attack with nine and eight kills, respectively. Also contributing to the front line were Zimmerman with three kills, and Distel and Rowland with two each. Eshleman and Streicher each served up an impressive three aces in the victory. Rowland chipped in with two aces and Distel with one.
Roth once again led the defense with 13 digs, followed by Streicher with 11, Eshleman with 10, Rowland with eight, Pickering with six and Wood with two.
Saturday, the Beavers take on two more opponents in their second day of competition, starting with a 9 a.m. start (Central time) against Hamline University (Minnesota) before capping off the weekend with a tussle against Clarke College (Iowa) at 11 a.m.
-BEAVERS-