Posted: Sep 30, 2009
September 30, 2009
By: Erin Neal, sports information assistant
BLUFFTON, Ohio - Three days after losing two heartbreaking matches at the Mount St. Joseph tournament on Sunday, the Bluffton University women's volleyball team is back on the winning track with a 3-0 victory over Wilmington College (25-12, 25-20, 25-19). The Beavers took the Quakers in three sets in which every Beaver saw action on the court. With the win Bluffton improved to 11-5 on the season, and the match puts them past the half-way mark for the season as they head into conference play this coming weekend.
Directing the Beaver offense was SHAUNA ROWLAND(Bucyrus/Wynford). The junior setter, who reached her milestone 2,000 career assist over the weekend, tallied up 30 more helpers on the night. She connected with several key hitters; JENNA ESHLEMAN (Landisville, Penn./Hempfield) led with eight kills, followed by freshman BROOKE DISTEL (Carey) with seven, KAYLA PICKERING (Jamestown/Greenview) and COURTNEY ZIMMERMAN (Leesburg/Fairfield) each with six, HEATHER RODMAN (Mansfield/Mansfield Christian) with five, and NICOLE WOOD (Tiffin/Hopewell-Loudon) with four.
With an extensive cast on the front lines tonight, the Beavers hit an impressive .303 on the night. Senior BRITTANY DUFF(Wapakoneta) also saw action in the victory as she dished out eight assists of her own. The Beavers also pounded down five aces in the win, with sophomore LAUREN MORROW (Marion/River Valley) serving up two of them.
Defensively, the Beavers had yet another steady performance from several players. Eshleman anchored the diggers with six, followed by MARGARET GERWE (Norwood), BRITTANY ROTH (Findlay), ALLISON STREICHER (Continental), Pickering, and Rowland with four apiece. Streicher also helped defending the net as she had three block assists, while Zimmerman and Distel each had two block assists.
The Beavers open up conference action in Founders Hall this Friday evening, October 3, at 7 p.m. when they take on defending HCAC champion and NCAA qualifiers Mount St. Joseph. They continue with conference opponent Hanover College the following day, again in Founders. Game time vs. the Panthers is slated for 1 p.m.
-BEAVERS-