Bluffton Holds Off DC Rally to Spoil Senior Night

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance battled back from a 21-17 deficit in the third set to win, 27-25, and force a fourth set but could not complete the comeback against Bluffton, falling in four sets to the visiting Beavers on Senior Night.

Bluffton came out swinging and put down 10 kills in 20 attempts without an error in the opening set, en route to the 25-15 victory. DC struggled to rebound in the second and committed 12 hitting errors to fuel a 25-18 BU victory.

With its hopes of staying alive in the race for a spot in the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference Tournament on the ropes via the 21-17 third-set deficit, Meghan Hinds sparked the surge with a kill and an ace to draw the Jackets within two.

A kill from Jessica Tietje drew DC within a single tally but Bluffton battled back to push the Jackets to the brink at 24-21. Sara Porter kept DC going with a kill, before three-straight hitting errors by Bluffton gave Defiance the 25-24 edge. Chelsea Ludeman would seal the victory two points later with a slam to give DC the 27-25 win.

Defiance would continue its strong play into the fourth set, trading leads with the Beavers throughout the set and using a pair of Ludeman kills and a BU hitting error to draw even at 24-24. That would wind up being all DC had however, as Bluffton (20-6, 6-2 HCAC) scored the next two points to escape with the 26-24 victory.

The loss, which featured 35 ties and 19 lead changes throughout the night, ended DC's chances of qualifying for the HCAC Tournament.

Jessica Tietje and Ludeman each ended the match with 10 kills and four total blocks, while Heather Bradshaw had 17 digs, Kelsey Ferguson and Julie Brunsman combined for 35 assists and Sara Porter chipped in five kills, eight digs, one block and an ace.

DC's senior class of Bradshaw, Brunsman, Ferguson and Porter will look to close their careers at Defiance (12-17, 3-6 HCAC) on a high note when the Jackets travel to Adrian on Saturday, October 30 for a tri-match. DC will play Oberlin at 1:00 pm and Adrian at 3:00 pm.