PAINESVILLE, Ohio – Ohio Dominican's volleyball team notched its second-straight sweep as the Panthers defeated host Lake Erie 3-0 (25-21, 25-17, 26-24) Friday night in GLIAC play.

It's the first time ODU has swept consecutive opponents since the 2009 season, and the Panthers improved to 12-14 (6-9 GLIAC). The six conference victories are the most for ODU since joining the GLIAC in 2010.

Lake Erie fell to 3-21 (0-15 GLIAC) with the setback.

Sophomore Caitlin Kusan (Westerville, Ohio) led all players with 10 kills while hitting .389, and freshman Tory Thompson (Quincy, Ohio) chipped in with nine kills. Senior Kristy Birkemeier (Columbus Grove, Ohio) also finished with nine kills.

Freshman Darby Slavin (Columbus, Ohio) tallied 19 assists, classmate Kelsey Fortney (Lorain, Ohio) had 14 and sophomore Bailey Barker (Muncie, Ind.) registered 12 digs.

The Panthers broke free of a 7-7 deadlock in the first set with an 8-0 run. The Panthers had three blocks and Slavin had a pair of aces in the surge. Lake Erie drew as near as 22-20, but kills by sophomore Brianna Reder (Maineville, Ohio) and Birkemeier helped ODU put the Storm away.

Largely behind the strength of Kusan's serving, ODU went on a 9-1 run in the second set to grab an 11-5 lead. The Panther advantage stayed between five and eight points for the duration of the frame as ODU went in front two sets to none.

The Storm didn't go quietly in the third set, though, as Lake Erie scored eight unanswered to take an 8-2 lead early. ODU fought back, making it 12-9 on Birkemeier's kill, but another Storm burst saw the home team's lead swell to 18-10.

The Panthers answered with eight straight points of their own, though, tying the set on a Kusan termination off of a feed from Slavin. ODU gained the lead at 20-19 on Birkemeier's ace, and the teams traded blows as Lake Erie tied the set at 24. Another kill by Birkemeier gave the Panthers match point, and Reder's solo block sealed the win for the Panthers, who hit .257 in the set.

Ohio Dominican will look for its third straight victory at 2 p.m. Saturday as the Panthers take on Ashland.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu