COLUMBUS, Ohio – Despite hitting .269 for the match, Ohio Dominican's volleyball team found itself on the losing end of a 3-2 (25-14, 25-27, 28-30, 25-18, 10-15) decision to visiting Wayne State on Friday night in Alumni Hall.

It was a night of missed opportunities for the Panthers, who led by as much as seven points in the second set and had two set points in that frame, and ODU also had a set point in the third frame.

A trio of Panthers had 11 or more kills, led by senior Tory Thompson (Quincy, Ohio) who tied a season-best 18 kills while hitting .348. Junior Jackie Oestreich (Brighton, Mich.) hit .353 while tallying 15 kills and seven total blocks and freshman Kelly Nadler (Leipsic, Ohio) totaled 11 kills and four blocks with a .296 attack percentage.

ODU led wire-to-wire in the opening frame, jumping to a 9-2 advantage and leading by as much as 13 points (23-10) late in the set. The Panthers hit .344 in the set with 13 kills and just two errors.

That momentum carried into the second set, where ODU went in front 15-8 on a kill by Oestreich and still led 20-15 after a Warriors error. Wayne State would tie the set at 22, but the Panthers had the serve leading 24-23 and 25-24. However, the Warriors would score the final three points to even the match.

Wayne State built a 16-10 lead in the third set before the Panthers responded late. Oestreich's kill tied it at 22, and a kill by freshman Rebecca Skidmore (Westerville, Ohio) gave ODU a 26-25 lead. The set went back-and-forth after that, though, and the Warriors would pull out the 30-28 victory.

ODU played strongly in the fourth set, forcing a dozen Wayne State attack errors partially on the strength of six blocks at the net by the front line. The Panthers scored four straight points to go in front 16-9, capped on a block by Oestreich and junior Taylor Foster (Ida, Mich.), and would lead by as much as eight (20-12) later in the set.

The Panthers led 8-7 in the fifth and deciding frame after a kill by Nadler and a Warrior error, but the visitors scored the next four points to go in front 11-8, and the Panthers could draw no closer than two.

Senior Kelsey Fortney (Lorain, Ohio) tallied 26 assists and sophomore Ashlin Aiken (Onsted, Mich.) chipped in with 21 assists and 11 digs. Freshman Anna Ficker (Cincinnati, Ohio) led the Panthers with 19 dig and Thompson added 18 digs. Sophomore Ciara Ralston (Findlay, Ohio) had nine kills with four service aces.

The Panthers remain at home to take on Saginaw Valley at 5 p.m. Saturday.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu