HAMMOND, Ind. – On day one of the Midwest Region Crossover, the Black and Gold were bested by Illinois-Springfield and Maryville (Mo.) of the GLVC, dropping both matches 3-0.

Box Score Notes

• Junior Olivia Kirksey (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) collected double-figure kills in both matches. She had 13 in match one and a season-high of 21 in the second match. Kirksey also added 11 digs against Maryville.
• Kelsey Shoup (Dalton, Ohio) and Alexis Keipert (Burlington, Ky.) each registered 10 digs against Illinois-Springfield. Shoup added 18 digs against the Saints.
• At the net, Jenna Peters (Vermilion, Ohio), Grace Zinchuk (Schaumburg, Ill.), and Ashley Aselage (Tipp City, Ohio) all notched six blocks on the day. Aselage tallied nine kills against the Prairie Stars.
• In the first match, Arica Thies (Fairfield, Ohio) recorded a career-high eight kills while hitting 0.615.
• Freshman setter Gabrielle Kirker (Tallmadge, Ohio) grabbed 54 assists on the day with 26 coming in the first match and 28 coming in the second.

How It Happened (UIS)

• The Black and Gold fell behind early in set one, 5-2.
• The Prairie Stars went on an eight-to-two run to extend their lead 14-6.
• The Panthers responded by winning five of the next six points, cutting their deficit to 15-11.
• Kirksey and Aselage collected two kills apiece to bring ODU within three, 23-20.
• UIS took set one 25-21.
• Ohio Dominican jumped to an early 5-3 lead in set two with consecutive kills from Aselage.
• Illinois-Springfield capitalized on Panther errors and regained the lead, 11-7.
• The Black and Gold retaliated with a 10-to-four run, giving them the upper hand 17-15.
• The Prairie Stars tied it up 21-all off another error.
• A block from Aselage and Peters pushed the set to extra points, giving the Panthers a 25-24 lead.
• The set went point for point ending with UIS on top 30-28, taking the lead 2-0 in sets.
• With a kill and solo block from Theis, ODU gathered the lead 6-4 in the third set.
• Kirksey notched three more kills to grow Ohio Dominican's lead to 15-11.
• A service ace from Kirker put the Panthers up five, 20-15.
• Illinois-Springfield responded with a 10-to-two run to win set three 25-22 and win the match 3-0.

How It Happened (Maryville)

• The Panthers and the Saints went point-for-point, tying the match early 8-8.
• Maryville went on a four-point run to grow their lead to 12-8.
• ODU responded with a nine-to-four run of their own, snatching the lead 17-16.
• The Saints won nine of the last 11 points to take set one, 25-19.
• Ohio Dominican established a 5-4 lead early in the second set with three kills from Kirksey.
• Maryville gained the lead, but the Black and Gold snagged four points in a row to tie it up 12-all.
• In a back-and-forth set, a kill from Kirksey took the set to extra points with the Panthers on top 25-24.
• After fours ties and a service ace from Peters, ODU led late 28-27.
• The Saints went on a three-point run to close out set two 30-28 and take a 2-0 set lead.
• The Black and Gold ran out to a 6-3 lead in the third set off a block from Zinchuk and Ashley Chmielewski (Roscommon, Mich.).
• Maryville regained their lead with a four-point swing of their own, making it 12-10.
• Ohio Dominican snatched the lead back 17-16 with three consecutive blocks.
• The Saints won six of the last nine points to defeat the Panthers 25-21, winning the match 3-0.

Up Next

The Black and Gold return tomorrow for day two of the Midwest Regional Crossover, taking on Parkside with a 10:00 AM EDT first serve.

Contact: Bailee Worley
worleyb@ohiodominican.edu