COLUMBUS, Ohio – Ohio Dominican's volleyball team hit .293 but couldn't overcome 10 service errors and 10 Michigan Tech aces as the Panthers fell 3-1 (19-25, 19-25, 25-18, 21-25) to the Huskies Saturday afternoon.

ODU (12-11, 5-6 GLIAC) had just seven attack errors in the match and racked up 53 kills, but Michigan Tech (17-6, 8-3 GLIAC) hit .277 itself and had three players with 13 or more kills to pull away with the win.

The seven attack errors are the fewest by the Panthers in a match that's gone at least four sets in its Division II era (since 2010).

Senior Tory Thompson (Quincy, Ohio) set a career high with 21 kills and she tied for the team lead with 17 digs. Thompson hit .347 in the match. Twice prior, she had 20 kills in a match.

A trio of Panthers had nine kills. Junior Jackie Oestreich (Brighton, Mich.) hit .321 with her nine kills, classmate Taylor Foster (Ida, Mich.) hit .296 to go along with a career-best 17 digs, and sophomore Ciara Ralston (Findlay, Ohio) added 15 digs with her nine kills.

Freshman Anna Ficker (Cincinnati, Ohio) added 17 digs, while senior Darby Slavin (Columbus, Ohio) notched a season-high 41 assists to go along with 10 digs.

The first two sets were close. The opening frame featured nine ties and six lead changes, but a 6-1 run gave the Huskies a 17-13 lead that they would not relinquish down the stretch. The Panthers hit .375 in the frame, with 14 kills and just two errors, but were hurt by five service errors and three MTU aces.

The second set was also close as it saw the score tied eight times, with four lead changes. The set was tied at 14, but Michigan Tech scored the next three points, and ODU would never forge even again.

ODU did respond in the third set, though. Leading 12-11, ODU tallied the next five points to earn some breathing room, capped by a kill from Slavin, and Foster's kill put the set away. The Panthers hit .366 with 16 kills and just one error in the set.

The Huskies, though, led the entire fourth set. The Panthers drew within three on a pair of occasions late, but could not come all the way back.

Ohio Dominican is back on the road next weekend, starting with a 7 p.m. match at Hillsdale on Friday.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu