BIG RAPIDS, Mich. – The Ohio Dominican volleyball team opened its 2019 season Thursday evening with a 3-0 setback on the road to nationally-ranked Ferris State (Mich.).

The Panthers' contest was the first of four matches at the Ferris State Invitational this weekend, but it was the No. 12 Bulldogs that gained the opening night victory by a count of 25-13, 25-19, and 25-12.

In her first match with the Black & Gold, sophomore Abbi Gillson (Canton, OH) led the team with five kills. Sophomore Amanda Remmetter (Springfield, OH) and freshman Emilee Fecht (Hilliard, OH) each added three kills. Gillson, Fecht and sophomore Riley Kizer (Mason, OH) assisted on all four ODU blocks.

Recording a double-double stat line was senior Allie Rutter (Fostoria, OH). Rutter finished with 12 of the team's 14 assists, while also tallying 11 digs defensively. Kizer and freshman Madison Smith (Elyria, OH) pitched in with six digs each as well.

The Panthers led early in all three sets, but lengthy runs by Ferris State doomed ODU. In the opening frame, ODU led 5-3 thanks to kills from Remmetter and Gillson, but FS tallied 10 of the next 11 points to capture a 12-6 lead. The Bulldogs then outscored ODU 13-7 the rest of the way to take Set One.

A back-and-forth second frame saw the two sides tied at 13-all. A kill from freshman Kamryn Maxwell (Norwalk, OH) and a block by Gillson and Kizer helped the Panthers open a 16-13 advantage, but a 10-1 scoring spurt by Ferris State aided them to a 25-19 set decision.

In the final frame, Ferris State nearly hit .300, while forcing ODU into a -.115 hitting percentage.

The Panthers will look to bounce back quickly as they are scheduled to face Seton Hill at noon, Friday, Sept. 6.

Contact: Tyler Jester

jestert@ohiodominican.edu