COLUMBUS, Ohio – Trailing 24-22 in the fourth set to visiting Northern Michigan, Ohio Dominican's volleyball team rallied to force a fifth frame, then pulled out the victory in the last game to earn a 3-2 win over the Wildcats Friday night in Alumni Hall.

The Panthers (12-10, 5-5 GLIAC) won for the second time this season after falling in a 2-0 hole. ODU limited Northern Michigan to a .047 hitting percentage in the final three frames.

Three straight Wildcat errors kept ODU alive in the fourth set, giving the Panthers a 25-24 lead. The Wildcats tied it at 25, but senior Courtney Braun (Hilliard, Ohio) had a kill and closed the set with a solo block for a 27-25 win.

The fifth set was nip-and-tuck, featuring eight ties and one lead change, but the Panthers pulled away at the end. Tied at 12, ODU tallied the final three points, with the last coming off of a dig/set by junior Taylor Foster (Ida, Mich.) that led to a kill from senior Darby Slavin (Columbus, Ohio).

Sophomore Ciara Ralston (Findlay, Ohio) led the Panthers with a career-high 15 kills and also notched 13 digs while hitting .250. Foster finished with career highs with her 12 kills, 11 digs and eight blocks, while also hitting .345. She recorded six kills in the fourth set and three more kills in the fifth, to go along with seven digs in that last frame.

Slavin tallied 24 assists and 13 digs, freshman Anna Ficker (Cincinnati, Ohio) recorded 20 digs and junior Jackie Oestreich (Brighton, Mich.) notched nine kills to also lead the Panthers.

The first set featured 13 ties and five lead changes, but NMU scored six of the last eight points to take it 25-22. The Panthers led 11-8 in the second set, but Northern scored seven straight points to take the lead, and ODU drew no closer than three as the Wildcats won it by a count of 25-14.

The Panther defense carried the way in the third set as ODU totaled seven blocks and forced 14 Wildcat errors en route to a 25-21 win. Tied at eight, ODU scored the next six points, capped on an ace by Ralston, and increased its lead to as much as eight at 21-13.

The Wildcats seemed in control in the fourth set, leading 20-14 before the Panthers inched within 23-22 on a block by Oestreich and Slavin. NMU countered with a kill, but could not put the match away with its following serve.

ODU won despite hitting .118, while Northern Michigan – which had won five straight matches and ranked fifth in the GLIAC with a .226 attack percentage – hit just .128 themselves.

Ohio Dominican remains at home to take on Michigan Tech at 2 p.m. Saturday in Alumni Hall.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu