WESTERVILLE, OHIO – The Otterbein volleyball team improved its season record to 13-1 over the weekend by winning three of its four matches and winning the 2009 Otterbein Cardinal Classic. The team finished tied in the standings with Thiel and Trine, but took the title due to tiebreak scenarios.

In the opening match of the weekend, OC overwhelmed Columbus State by winning in three straight games, 25-22, 25-15, 25-15. The match, which lasted just 65 minutes, saw sophomore libero Lindsey Russell tally 33 digs and the duo of freshman Ally Nagle and junior Rayna Coleman combine for 21 kills. CSCC entered the match ranked first nationally amongst the junior college polls.

In the night-cap, the team suffered its first lost of the season by dropping a five-game match to Trine. After winning the first two games 25-22 and 25-23, the Cards fell 25-21 and 25-22 in games three and four. Both teams battled in the fifth and final game, only to see Trine narrowly escape with an 18-16 win.

Four Otterbein players recorded double-digit kills in the match, with Nagle’s 18 leading the way. Senior Marinda Roderick tallied 29 assists while sophomore Kelly Schumacher had 26 filling in for an injured Lydia Wynkoop.

Four Cards also had double-digit digs in the loss, led by Russell’s 38.

“Of course it would have been great to win all the matches, but our loss to Trine definitely made us better,” said head-coach Monica McDonald. “Every game in the five-game match was close and the experience will help us during some of our tougher matches to come. It was great to see how the team responded to losing Lydia in game one, as Kelly stepped up and we didn’t miss a beat. This team has shown character and heart all year, and that match was no different.”

Day two saw Otterbein handle Ohio Wesleyan and Denison in straight games, taking 3-0 victories in each match.

After Thiel and Trine lost a match on the second day, it allowed Otterbein to swoop back into the picture and take home the title.

Russell finished with 107 digs on the weekend, with an average of 7.6 digs per game.

“Lindsey had another great weekend,” McDonald said. “She had an unbelievable performance against Columbus State, and it was obvious that her 33 dig performance over only three games frustrated Columbus State’s talented hitters.”

“I can’t talk about the weekend without mentioning our impressive serve receive,” McDonald continued, “which is handled by the sophomore trio of Lindsey (Russell), Renee Willke and Alicia Chafins.  There was never a time during the weekend when I felt like our offense was struggling because of our passing.  The great numbers put up by our hitters this weekend were a direct result of our steady serve receive passing. “ 

For their efforts, Russell and Nagle were named to the All-Tournament Team.

Overall, McDonald was pleased with the performance of her group throughout the two-day event and is optimistic about the season moving forward.

“I am really excited, because even though we lost our first match this weekend, we continued to improve,” she said. “With such a great start to the season, it would be easy for us to get complacent.  The girls are still hungry and getting better, and I really think our best volleyball is yet to come.”

The team hosts Ohio Dominican tomorrow evening in the Rike Center before traveling to the Mount St. Joseph’s Tournament this weekend.