COLUMBUS, Ohio – On the last Friday evening of regular season play, the Trojans of Trevecca Nazarene and The Panthers of Ohio Dominican battled it out in a five set thriller. The Trojans ultimately took the win in the end, 3-2.

Box Score Notes

• Ohio Dominican out-blocked Trevecca 17-to-nine in the match.
• Junior Olivia Kirksey (Reynoldsburg, Ohio) registered another double-double on the season with 20 kills and 14 digs. Kirksey also added four blocks.
• Libero Kelsey Shoup (Dalton, Ohio) led the way with 24 digs. Fellow defensive specialist Alexis Keipert (Burlington, Ky.) notched 14 digs and led with two service aces.
• Freshman Arica Thies (Fairfield, Ohio) grabbed eight blocks and a career-high 11 kills. Jenna Peters (Vermilion, Ohio) followed with seven blocks and 13 kills.
• Setters Gabrielle Kirker (Tallmadge, Ohio) and Saige Avery (Yorkville, Ill.) both notched double-doubles. Kirker snagged 38 assists and 10 digs. Avery collected 19 assists and 10 digs.
• The Black and Gold outhit the Trojans 0.412 to 0 in the fourth set.

How It Happened

• In the first set, ODU jumped to a 5-3 lead after a service ace from Keipert.
• Trevecca took the lead after a three-point run, making it 9-7.
• The Trojans extended their lead to 19-14. The Panthers responded with a four-point swing, bringing it within one, 19-18.
• TNU ended set one with a six-to-one run, winning 25-19.
• The Black and Gold fell behind early in the second set, 7-4.
• Ohio Dominican continued to trail but tied the match 16-all with a kill from Madison Smith (Elyria, Ohio).
• Trevecca grabbed four consecutive points to take the lead 20-16. ODU retaliated with their own run, tying it at 21-all.
• The Trojans won the last four points of the match, making it 25-21, taking the lead 2-0 in sets.
• The Panthers and Trojans found themselves tied early 6-all in the third set.
• The Black and Gold went on a 10-to-five run to snag the lead 16-11.
• ODU led the rest of the set and took it 25-19 off a kill from Peters. The Panthers still trail 2-1 in sets.
• Ohio Dominican opened the fourth set with a quick 6-1 run.
• The Panthers continued to lead 12-6 after kills from Kirksey and Grace Zinchuk (Schaumburg, Ill.).
• Thies collected seven kills in the Black and Golds 11-to-one run, growing their lead 23-8 over the Trojans.
• A kill from Kirksey closed the set 25-11, making it 2-2 in sets.
• The Panthers opened the fifth set with a block from Zinchuk and Kirksey, taking the lead 6-3.
• Kills from Kamryn Maxwell (Norwalk, Ohio) and Ashley Aselage (Tipp City, Ohio) gave Ohio Dominican the edge, 10-6.
• TNU rallied to tie the set 14-all.
• Kirksey grabbed a kill, giving ODU a 15-14 lead. Trevecca went on to win the next three points, closing the set 17-15, and winning the match 3-2.

Up Next

The Black and Gold are back in action Saturday afternoon from Alumni Hall where they will honor their two seniors prior to the 1:00 PM first serve.

Contact: Bailee Worley
worleyb@ohiodominican.edu