ALLENDALE, Mich. – After winning both matches on Friday, Ohio Dominican's volleyball team couldn't carry that momentum into day two at the Grand Valley State Laker Riverfront Classic as the Panthers fell by 3-1 scores to both Concordia (Ore.) and Quincy.

ODU hit just .084 in the loss against Concordia (12-25, 19-25, 25-23, 20-25), then dropped the final three sets against Quincy after taking a 1-0 lead in the match (25-20, 20-25, 21-25, 19-25).

In the opener against the Cavaliers (3-0), ODU took a close third set. Tied at 23-23, junior Jackie Oestreich (Brighton, Mich.) and senior Tory Thompson (Quincy, Ohio) combined on a block, then the freshmen duo of Kelly Nadler (Leipsic, Ohio) and Rebecca Skidmore (Westerville, Ohio) did the same on the next play to close the set in ODU's favor.

The Panthers then battled back from a 20-12 deficit in the fourth set, drawing within 21-20 on a kill by junior Taylor Foster (Ida, Mich.) from a freshman Anna Ficker (Cincinnati, Ohio) set, but the Cavaliers scored the final four points to take the match.

Thompson had 10 kills, Foster finished with seven and Oestreich and sophomore Ciara Ralston (Findlay, Ohio) each had six to lead ODU. Ficker paced the Panthers with 18 digs and senior Kelsey Fortney (Lorain, Ohio) totaled 18 assists. Skidmore had six of ODU's 20 block assists.

Against Quincy, ODU led by as much as eight points (21-13) in the first set en route to the win. The Hawks came out strong in the second frame, leading 7-1 early in taking it 25-19.

The third set was back-and-forth throughout, and the Panthers took a 20-19 lead on Foster's kill. However, QU scored the next four points to take back control and win the set, then jumped to an 18-7 lead in the fourth frame to help seal the match.

Thompson led a trio of Panthers who were in double figures in kills as she finished with 13, and she also tallied 20 digs. Ralston added 12 kills with 19 digs, and Oestreich had 11 kills with seven total blocks.

Ficker finished with 20 digs, Fortney had 21 assists with 14 digs and freshman Jordan Jaeckin (Olmsted Falls, Ohio) added 20 assists.

The Panthers travel to Charleston for a non-conference contest at 7 p.m. Tuesday.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu