AURORA, Ill. – Ohio Dominican's volleyball team earned a pair of wins in day one action at the Midwest Region Crossover Friday, besting GLVC foes Illinois-Springfield 3-1 and William Jewell 3-0 (25-8, 25-15, 25-20).

In the first set against UIS, the Panthers jumped to a 10-4 lead, as senior Jackie Oestreich (Brighton, Mich.) and sophomore Kelly Nadler (Leipsic, Ohio) each tallied a kill and freshman Bailey Line (Westerville, Ohio) had an ace to extend the lead to six. UIS cut it to 13-11, but the Panthers slowly increased their lead, building an eight point advantage at 22-14 on a block from senior Taylor Foster and Oestreich, to pull away with the set.

The Panthers trailed 14-9 in the second frame but closed to within 15-14 on Oestreich's kill. However, UIS scored the next four points and took the set by a count of 25-19.

ODU held a 16-14 edge in the third set but scored four of the next five points to earn some breathing room, capped by another ace from Line, and the Prairie Stars never drew within four points down the stretch as ODU scored the final four points of the set. Senior Tory Thompson (Quincy, Ohio) had six kills in the frame to lead ODU.

The fourth set was the most competitive, featuring 11 ties and a pair of lead changes. The Panthers played from a point or two behind for virtually the duration of the set, and UIS took a 21-18 lead late. ODU momentarily drew even at 21-21 on a block by Oestreich and senior Taylor Foster (Ida, Mich.), but found itself behind 23-22 after a UIS kill. Nadler answered with a kill of her own, her fifth of the set, and after an ace from freshman Raven Barleston (Louisville, Ky.), a Prairie Star ball handling miscue gave ODU the set and the match.

ODU tallied 13 aces in the match, a season-high and the most since the Panthers had 14 in a match against Alderson-Broaddus on Sept. 13, 2013.

Thompson finished with 20 kills and Nadler added 14 while swinging .444. Sophomore Patricia Barreto (Findlay, Ohio) added seven kills while hitting .429, and Line tallied 37 assists.

Against William Jewell, the trio of Thompson (15), Oestreich (13) and Nadler (12) combined for 40 of ODU's 45 kills as the Panthers hit .337 in the match.

In the first set, the Panthers raced to a 14-3 lead in the first set and didn't look back, leading by double figures the rest of the way. ODU hit .400 in the set while forcing WJC to commit seven hitting errors against just four kills.

ODU trailed briefly in the second frame, but bounced back from a 10-9 deficit with an 8-2 run, capped on Oestreich's solo block, to go on top 17-12. William Jewell crept within 18-15, but ODU scored the final seven points of the set to take it. The Panthers hit at a .367 clip for the set.

A 6-0 run midway through the third frame gave ODU a 15-8 cushion, and the lead never dipped below four the remainder of the frame. The Panthers racked up 18 kills in the set.

Line finished with 37 assists again and sophomore Anna Ficker (Cincinnati, Ohio) led the team with 15 digs.

Ohio Dominican wraps up play at the tournament at 1 p.m. (CT) Saturday against Bellarmine.

Contact: Scott Miles
miless@ohiodominican.edu