Jackets Defeated by the Beavers
BLUFFTON, OHIO – The Defiance College volleyball team traveled to Bluffton, Ohio to face Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Bluffton University and fell to the Beavers by a score of 3-0.
BLUFFTON, OHIO – The Defiance College volleyball team traveled to Bluffton, Ohio to face Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference rival Bluffton University and fell to the Beavers by a score of 3-0.
Sophomore Meredith Shank (Maumee/Springfield) led the Defiance (6-15, 1-1 HCAC) offense with 12 kills. Freshman Marissa Windau (Castalia/Margaretta) followed behind Shank with seven total kills. Junior Ari Mahaffey (Porter, Ind. /Chesterton) set up the offense with 25 assists and also recorded one service ace. Senior Rebecca Kain (Orland, Ind. /Prairie Heights) had a match-high 16 digs and sophomore Jaidyn Patridge (Toledo/Springfield) added seven digs. At the net, freshman Caitlyn Meyers (West Alexandria/Twin Valley South) teamed with Mahaffey to add two block assists to lead the team.
The two teams played a back-and-forth first set with DC trailing by as many as three points before rallying with a 3-1 run to pull the set within one point. Bluffton (12-6, 3-0 HCAC) then looked to take control of the set with a 11-point lead, 22-11, before the Jackets rallied again with a 3-1 run that included one kill by Windau. DC couldn't hold on as the Beavers stayed in the lead to win by the final of 25-17.
In set two, the back-and-forth pace continued early as the teams battled back and forth in command for the lead. Bluffton took control of the second set with an eight point lead, 17-9. Defiance got within six points with a 5-3 run that included kills by junior Hope Neargarder (Union City/Mississinawa Valley), Myers and freshman Brooke Plummer (Plain City/Jonathan Alder). The Beavers went on another run to take the second set 25-17.
Needing just one more set victory to claim the match, Bluffton came out on a 3-0 run and remained in control throughout. DC trailed by as many as eight points and could not recover from the earlier deficit as the Beavers cruised to the 25-16 set win and the 3-0 overall match victory.
Defiance will return to action on Saturday, Oct. 10 when they travel to Hanover, Ind. to face Hanover (Ind.) College in a HCAC matchup. The match is set to begin at 1 p.m.