DC Splits Matches on Second Day of HCAC/OAC Crossover

BEREA, OHIO -- The Defiance College volleyball team was swept by Ohio Northern in the opener of the HCAC/OAC Crossover, but bounced back in game two to knock off Capital in four sets at Baldwin Wallace University.

22nd-ranked ONU (13-3) cruised to a 25-23, 25-15, 25-15 victory over the Yellow Jackets (5-8) in the opener.

DC dug themselves an early 10-5 hole, before battling back to score four of the nxt five points to get the set to within two, 11-9. BW quickly grew the lead to 14-9 before four straight markers from DC, including a pair of kills by Marissa Windau (Castalia/Margaretta) made the score, 14-13. Defiance battled to within a point four more times in the set, but could never get over the hump, eventually falling 25-23. 

The second set was domnated by the Polar Bears from the start, as they took a 10-3 lead and never looked back, taking the set, 25-15. The third set was the same way, as ONU took a 13-4 lead to open things up, and coasted to a 25-15 third set win and a sweep of the Yellow Jackets.

Sophomore Emma Seitz (Toledo/Central Catholic) led DC in the opener with nine kills, while Danielle Robbins (Westland, Mich./Wayne Memorial added eight. Defensively, senior Jaidyn Patridge (Toledo/Springfield) led the charge with 17 digs, while Madison Hollis (Burlington, Ky./Randall K. Cooper) added 12 pickups and Windau finished with 10. Hollis and Abigail Cronin (Lambertville, Mich./Cardinal Stritch) split the setting duties, finishing with 14 assists apiece.

The Yellow Jackets rebounded in the finale, knocking off Capital University (8-9), 28-26, 23-25, 25-15, 25-18.

The opening set began with at an even pace, all knotted at 10-10, before Patridge served the Yellow Jackets to a 14-10 lead, as a pair of kills by Robbins were followed by consecutive service aces to put DC in front, 14-10. Capital rallied to take a 21-17 lead, before Defiance fought back. Capital had set point, at 24-21, before DC scored three straight to keep the set alive. The teams exchagned the next three points with Capital leading 26-25, but a pair of errors were followed by a block from Madison Hollis and Jessi Davis (Delta) to give DC the opening set, 28-26.

Capital scored the first four points of the second set, buck quiclkly saw that lead disappiear, as DC took a 6-5 lead. Neither team led by more than two points the remainder of the set, as Capital evened the match by taking it, 25-22.Defo

The third set was dominated by the Yellow Jackets, who scored stormed to a 9-1 lead off the serve of senior captain Sydney Unger (Frankfort, Ind./Clinton Central). With DC in front, 16-7, a Jessi Davis bookended a 5-0 spurt with kills to give DC a commanding 20-7 edge. Five consecutive Capital points cut their defict to 20-12, before DC took control and won the set, 25-15, to take a 2-1 lead.

Defiance picked up where they left off to begin the fourth set, as Hollis and Unger served the Yellow Jackets to a 7-1 lead. Capital came back to tie the set at 9-9, before a kill by Seitz sparked a four-point DC run. Capital quickly brought the deficit to 14-13, before DC scored six of the next seven to take a commanding 20-14 advantage, as the Yellow Jackets closed the match with a 25-18 win to take finish off Capital with a 3-1 victory.

Defiance senior Jaidyn Patridge was named to eh HCAC/OAC Crossover All-Tournament team, as she finished the two day tournament with 75 digs, averaging 5.76 per set, and 18.8 per match for the four-game tournament. She finished the victory over Capital with 21 pickups. 

The offense was led by Jessi Davis, who finished the day with 15 kills on 30 attempts to go along with eight blocks. Seitz added 13 kills and five digs for DC. Hollis wrapped up the nightcap with 25 assists and 10 digs, while Cronin finished the game with 15 assists. DC finished with five defenders with double-figure numbers in digs, led by Patridge's 21, and followed by Unger and Windau with 12 and 11, respectively. Freshman Morgan Porter (Defiance) joined Hollis with 10 total digs.

DC will make their home debut with their conference opener on Saturday, Sept. 30 as the Yellow Jackets do battle with the Franklin (Ind.) College Grizzlies. The match is set to start at 1 p.m. at the Karl H. Weaner Center.