Volleyball goes 0-2 on day one of Oberlin Invitational

Photo credits to Maggie Balderstone

Oberlin, Ohio - Defiance College volleyball opened up the Oberlin Invitational Friday afternoon with straight set losses to both Oberlin and St. Vincent. 

At Oberlin (L, 3-0) (16-25, 8-25, 11-25)

Shelby Clements started things off with a kill and Oberlin's Josie Macdonald followed with a kill to set one at one. The Yellow Jackets led 2-1 after a service error from Josie Macdonald. Oberlin exploded for the next 11 points to take a 12-2 lead and would not allow the Yellow Jackets to get back into it. Kills by Madison Schoenauer and Kaylynn Wellman along with a service ace from Wellman brought Defiance to within six points. The Yellow Jackets could not get any closer and ended up losing the first set by nine points. 

Set two was similar to set one. The only difference was that Oberlin jumped out on top first and never relinquished the lead. Oberlin won 22 of the first 26 points before the Yellow Jackets were able to win back-to-back points. Ellie Belvo, Schoenauer, and Jaelyn Tomoletz had one kill each in the set and Emma Chafins recorded one service ace for four of DC's offensive points in the set.

It was a back and forth affair to start set three. Four Oberlin errors allowed the Yellow Jackets to hang in it early as after a bad set, Oberlin led 5-4. All four DC points from miscues by Oberlin. A kill from Ellie Belvo made it 12-7 Oberlin, and that was the first offensive point of the set for the Yellow Jackets. Oberlin answered by winning the next six points and would go on to win 13 of the final 17 points to take the set and the match. 

Defiance finished the match with 11 kills, 10 assists, and 24, all of which are season-lows. Oberlin ended with 40 kills, 34 assists, and 33 digs.

Shelby Clements led the team in kills with four while Amina Chamound had a team-best nine assists and Kayla Boettger recorded eight digs. Cami Sweet and Taylor Gwynne were a dynamic duo for Oberlin. Sweet finished with 13 kills and Gwynne recorded 31 assists. 

Vs. St. Vincent (L, 3-0) (20-25, 24-26, 15-25)

Madison Schoenauer started things off with a kill as the Yellow Jackets took an early 2-0 lead. The set featured six ties, all of which came early on. Tied at 10, St. Vincent started to pull away by winning six of the next seven points. Defiance trailed 18-16 after a kill by Shelby Clements and an error from the Bearcats. A kill by Jaelyn Tomoletz still had the Yellow Jackets trailing by two, but the Bearcats closed it out by winning the next three points. 

Set two saw the Yellow Jackets start strong. Defiance led 7-2 thanks to errors from their opponent. The Bearcats took their first lead of the set at 12-11 after winning four straight points. From that point on, the set would feature five ties. An attack error by Lauren Fox and a kill by Kaylynn Wellman made it 22 apiece. St. Vincent won the next two points for a 24-22 lead. Facing two set points, the Yellow Jackets rallied to tie it at 24, but it was the Bearcats who were able to close it out by winning the next two points. 

St. Vincent got on the board first in set three and led wire-to-wire. The Yellow Jackets trailed 17-14 after a service error from Kaelyn Staples but it was the Bearcats who finished strong again and won eight of the final nine points. 

Defiance finished the match with 35 kills, 30 assists, and 65 digs. The Bearcats ended with 35 kills, 31 assists, and 59 digs. 

Shelby Clements recorded double digit kills and double digit digs. Emma Chafins joined Clements in the double digit digs category with 19 and Courtney Maxwell finished with 15 assists. 

The Yellow Jackets wrap up the Oberlin tournament with a game against Pitt-Bradford tomorrow morning at 10 a.m.