DETROIT, Mich. – Despite being outhit in the match, Ohio Dominican's volleyball team went on the road to earn a hard-fought 3-2 (25-22, 21-25, 26-24, 11-25, 15-11) victory at Wayne State in GLIAC action on Friday night.

The Panthers improved to 10-14 (4-8 GLIAC) with the victory, closing the match with a 6-2 run in the fifth set to pick up the road win.

Knotted 9-9 in the fifth, a Warrior error, a kill by sophomore Lauren Kraemer (Kettering, Ohio) and an ace by sophomore Kelsey Barker (Muncie, Ind.) put the Panthers in front 12-10. Freshman Jackie Oestreich (Brighton, Mich.) and senior Bailey Barker (Muncie, Ind.) teamed up on a block and Oestreich registered a kill to make it 14-10, then Oestreich finished off the Warriors with another termination.

The Panthers won despite hitting just .103 in the match, though ODU did hit .171, .212 and .250 in the three sets it claimed.

Oestreich led the Panthers with 12 kills, while Bailey Barker notched 10 with a team-high 23 digs. Kraemer and junior Lauren Rindler (Rossburg, Ohio) each had eight kills, freshman Heidi Hess (Dayton, Ohio) had 22 assists and classmate Megan Hendershot (Galloway, Ohio) added 18 digs as well to help lead the Panthers.

This was the first five-set victory for ODU this season, as the Panthers had been 0-4 in matches that went the distance this fall.

ODU trailed 17-9 in the opening set but caught fire behind Hess' serving and three straight kills from Rindler to get back into the game. ODU would finally draw even at 21-21, then scored four of the final five points of the set, closing it on a block by Oestreich and Rindler and a kill by Oestreich to take the 1-0 lead in the match.

After dropping the second set, ODU found itself in a hole again in the third, trailing 19-14 late. Rindler sparked ODU's run again with a kill and an ace as the Panthers also came back from a 22-18 deficit, forging a tie at 23-23. After a Warrior kill put the home team on top 24-23, a Wayne State service error knotted the set, and Rindler delivered consecutive kills to seal the comeback for ODU in the third frame.

ODU then fell 25-11 in the fourth set but rallied in the final frame to take the win.

The Panthers remain on the road for a 4 p.m. match at Findlay on Saturday.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu