PAINESVILLE, Ohio – Three players had at least 10 kills and Ohio Dominican's volleyball team snapped a nine-game skid with a 3-1 (17-25, 25-18, 25-16, 25-16) victory Friday night at Lake Erie in a GLIAC South Division match.

Junior Kristy Birkemeier (Columbus Grove, Ohio) had a match-high 14 kills, sophomore Tara Winner (Versailles, Ohio) finished with 11 and senior Rachel Billing (Anna, Ohio) battled through injury to tally 10 kills to lead ODU (12-15, 5-16 GLIAC).

After falling in the first set, ODU roared back with convincing wins in the final three frames. The Panthers jumped in front 12-2 in the second set, scoring 10 straight at one point, capped off by a kill from sophomore Emily Post (St. Henry, Ohio). Lake Erie (3-21, 1-16) drew within four at 19-14, but back-to-back kills by Post and freshman Brianna Reder (Maineville, Ohio) gave the Panthers a comfortable lead again.

ODU went on a 6-1 run in the third set to jump in front 11-6, with Birkemeier, Winner and Post registering terminations. The Panther lead grew to 16-9 on Reder's kill, and the Storm again would draw no closer than four points in the set.

Kills by freshmen Kelsey Snyder (Macomb, Mich.) and Caitlin Kusan (Westerville, Ohio) and an ace by Billing helped ODU to a 17-13 lead in the fourth set. Lake Erie scored three straight to make it 17-16, but ODU tallied the final eight points as Birkemeier had a pair of kills and a block assist and Winner had a solo block to close the match.

Snyder had a match-high 26 assists and nine digs, Birkemeier finished with a double-double as tallied 13 digs, senior libero Stacy Rogg (Cincinnati, Ohio) had 16 digs and junior Meredith Shifley (Galion, Ohio) had 16 assists.

ODU tallied 56 kills, its most in a four-set match since also recording 56 in the 3-1 win over Maryville on Oct. 14, ODU's last win.

The Panthers close the 2011 season at 6 p.m. Saturday at Ashland.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu