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#12 Ohio Northern Downed In Tough Five-Set Battle Against Bluffton
Story Courtesy of the Ohio Northern Athletics Site (Written by Joe Clarkson)
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ADA – The No. 12-ranked Ohio Northern women’s volleyball team suffered a tough loss on Tuesday night to regional rival Bluffton University. The Beavers (10-1) outlasted the Polar Bears (6-4) in a five-set battle.
Set scores were 25-21, 20-25, 26-24, 21-25 and 15-11.
Bluffton got out to a quick 10-5 lead in the first set in part because of three kills from junior middle hitter Courtney Zimmerman. Zimmerman then served four straight points to put the Beaver ahead 14-9.
The Polar Bears were able to narrow the score to 18-20, but Bluffton responded and won the first game on a ball handling error by Ellen Grenert.
Northern stormed out to a 6-2 lead in the second set and was able to maintain the lead throughout the set and finish the Beavers off 25-20.
Set three proved to be a back and fourth battle. An ONU service error on game point tied the game at 24. Jenna Eshleman served two straight points for the Beavers for a 26-24 win in the third.
After being behind 6-11 in the fourth, Northern rallied to win the set 25-21.
Down 8-11 in set five, Kasey Roeser served three straight points, and freshman outside hitter Kristen Davidson tied the game at 11 with one of her 10 kills. A Roeser service error gave Bluffton a 12-11 edge.
Eshleman then served three straight to capture the victory for the Beavers.
ONU was led by senior outside hitter Abby Schaller, who turned in a great performance for the Polar Bears. Schaller led all players with 24 kills on a .333 clip. She also added seven digs and an ace.
Roeser brought up 28 digs, while registering a team-high three aces.
Chelsie Timmons taillied 14 kills, a team-high four blocks and an ace for ONU.
Kelly Smerekanich dished out 53 assists.
Eshleman did it all for the Beavers. The junior outside hitter recorded 19 kills, 14 digs and four blocks for Bluffton.
Sophomore libero Heather Schierer had a match-high 42 digs.
The Polar Bears look to rebound this weekend at the 2010 Wittenberg Border Battle when they face off against four teams from Michigan and Minnesota, including No. 4 Calvin and No. 6 Hope.
