September 11, 2011

B-W Volleyball Team Splits A Pair of Matches To Finish Tied for Third at Marcia French Memorial

Game One Box| Game Two Box | Updated Season Statistics

BEREA, OHIO -- The Baldwin-Wallace College volleyball team split a pair of matches to finish tied for third today (Saturday, September 10, 2011) at the 13th Annual Marcia French Memorial Invitational in the Lou Higgins Recreation Center and Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium. Otterbein University won the tournament by going a perfect 4-0 and losing only one set.

Junior setter Jessica Stitts (Eastlake/ North) was named to the All-Tournament Team. Stitts appeared in all 14 games and had 14 kills, 132 set assists (9.4 per game) and 53 defensive digs. A week ago, Stitts also earned all-tourney honors at the Kalamazoo (Mich.) College Tournament.

The Yellow Jackets defeated Buffalo State (N.Y.) University, 3-0, but fell to The College of Wooster, 3-1, in their final match. The loss to Wooster snapped an eight-match winning streak to open the season. The Yellow Jackets are 8-1 overall.  Yesterday, B-W defeated Carnegie-Mellon (Pa.) University, 3-1, and Denison University, 3-0.

In its victory against Buffalo State, B-W won the match in straight sets by scores of 25-11, 25-15 and 25-15. The Yellow Jackets were led offensively by junior middle hitter Rachel Switalski (North Royalton/ Holy Name) with nine kills and Stitts with 22 set assists and two kills. Junior defensive specialist Natalie Emmons (Ashland) led the defense with 22 digs.

In the match with Wooster, the Fighting Scots captured the first two sets by scores of 25-15 and 29-27. B-W won the third set 25-23, but fell in an exciting fourth and final set 31-29. Despite the loss, the offense was keyed by senior outside hitter Chelsea Nissen (Williston/ Genoa) with 13 kills, Switalski with 11 kills and Stitts with 40 set assists and three kills.  Defensively, sophomore right side hitter Shannon Deleur (Olmsted Falls) and Emmons each had 24 digs.

B-W is next in action on Wednesday, September 14 when it will face the Terriers of Hiram College in its first home dual match in the Ursprung Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m. Next weekend, Friday and Saturday, Sept. 16-17, the Yellow Jackets travel to Greencastle, Indiana to participate in the DePauw University Invitational Tournament.  On Friday, the Jackets play host DePauw at 5:30 p.m. and then face Birmingham Southern (Ala.) University at 7:30 p.m.

FOR MORE B-W Sports Information, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at 440-826-2327 and e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. or Assistant SID Jeff Miller by phone at 440-826-2780 and email at jefmille@bw.edu Fans can access the latest B-W athletics information at www.bw.edu/athletics and we invite you to join us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/bwyellowjackets and Twitter at http://twitter.com/bwathletics