HOLLAND, Mich. – The Ohio Wesleyan University volleyball team (2-5, 0-0 NCAC) completed play at the NCAC/MIAA Crossover on Saturday. The Battling Bishops split a doubleheader, losing in straight sets to Albion but bouncing back to upset hosts No. 23 Hope in five.
MATCH ONE: OHIO WESLEYAN 0, ALBION 3
The 3-0 final was deceiving in match one against Albion as OWU was right in it until the very end. The Bishops fell behind after a 25-17 first set, but stuck it out in sets two and three to take each to extra points.
Everytime Albion pulled ahead in set two, the Red and Black came back to even the score, even taking a 26-25 lead. Unfortunately, a string of three straight points for the Brittons would end it at 28-26.
The process repeated itself in set three until the two sides were tied at 24-24. Again, Albion strung a couple points together at the end to take the set 26-24.
Jordanne Shannon notched 10 kills to lead Ohio Wesleyan.
Natalie Dieball was one behind at nine.
Taylor Tompkins tallied five.
Tompkins collected a career-high four services aces to lead the Battling Bishops at the stripe.
Maggi Wall had two and
Jenna Ashbrook had one.
Abby Nulph led the defensive front with five blocks. Shannon nabbed three and Dieball nabbed two.
Ashbrook and
Jaelyn Taylor were the leading setters for the Red and Black, combining with 25 assists. Ashbrook carried 13 and Taylor totaled 12.
Defensively,
Avery Krause led Ohio Wesleyan with 16 digs, followed by Ashbrook with 13.
MATCH TWO: OHIO WESLEYAN 3, HOPE 2
It took five sets to decide the second match of the day against hosts Hope. The Battling Bishops took a 2-0 lead following set scores of 28-26 and 25-18. Hope pulled back even in sets three and four with scores of 25-15 and 25-17. In the deciding set, the Bishops broke out to an 11-4 lead before the Flying Dutch came storming back to within two. In the end, OWU kept their composure and secured a 15-12 win.
Jordanne Shannon dropped in a career-high 18 kills to lead the Bishops.
Natalie Dieball tallied 15 and
Taylor Tompkins notched a career-high nine. Shannon also secured a career-high three service aces to lead OWU.
Abby Nulph finished with a team-high five blocks. Shannon notched four and
Jaelyn Taylor tallied a career-high three.
Taylor was the leading setter for Ohio Wesleyan with a career-high 26 assists.
Jenna Ashbrook collected 21.
Avery Krause amassed a career-high 29 digs to lead the Battling Bishops. Dieball and Shannon each finished with seven.
UP NEXT
The Red and Black return home to host the Bishop Invitational next weekend, playing Rose-Hulman on Friday at 5 p.m., followed by a doubleheader against Kalamazoo and Anderson at 10 a.m. and 3 p.m.
