ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – Ohio Dominican's volleyball team rallied for a five set win over Rollins in its first match Friday at the Lewis Flyer Festival before being swept by the host Flyers in its second match.

The Panthers earned a 25-17, 26-28, 16-25, 25-22, 15-9 win in the opener over the Tars before falling by scores of 18-25, 14-25, 21-25 to Lewis.

ODU is now 4-3 on the season and the win over Rollins was the 499th in the career of head coach Sandy Rowley. 

The Panthers rolled in the first set against RC, hitting .292 while limiting the Tars to just six kills and six errors in the frame. Tied 9-9, ODU scored 12 of the next 14 points to go in front 21-11 and take control of the set.

ODU scored the first seven points of the second frame, but Rollins rallied, drawing even at 21-21 before taking a 28-26 win. In the third set, ODU trailed 16-9 before scoring five straight points, but would draw no closer as RC took it 25-16.

The Panthers came out strong in the fourth frame, though, and never trailed as they scored the first five points. The Tars drew within a point on a pair of occasions late, but consecutive kills by Jackie Oestreich and Tory Thompson ended the set and sent it to a fifth and decisive frame.

Tied at 8-8 in that final set, Oestreich had a kill, then combined on a block with Ciara Ralston to go in front 10-8. The Tars never drew closer than two the rest of the set as Oestreich's kill finished off the match.

Oestreich finished with 17 kills and also tallied seven blocks to lead the Panthers. She hit .319 in the match. Also in double figures in kills were Ralston with 12 and Thompson with 10.

Kelsey Fortney finished with 22 assists and 19 digs, leading the team in both categories, and Ashlin Aiken added 14 assists and nine digs. Thompson and Anna Ficker each recorded 17 digs, while Rebecca Skidmore and Thompson finished with four blocks each.

ODU couldn't generate much offense against Lewis, though, as the Panthers failed to hit higher than .097 in any set. Oestreich had six kills and Ralston totaled five to lead ODU, while Aiken finished with 10 assists and seven digs.

Ohio Dominican has a pair of matches Saturday, beginning at 9 a.m. (ET) against Maryville before a 1 p.m. (ET) match with Minnesota State.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu