Box Score

TIFFIN, OHIO - Otterbein, the second seed, fell in a thrilling five-set match with third-seeded Ohio Northern Friday evening in the semi-finals of the Ohio Athletic Conference tournament.

The loss drops the Cardinals to 26-6 on the season, and the team will now wait to see if it will earn a bid to the NCAA Tournament. The Division III selection show is scheduled for 11 a.m. Monday morning.

Ohio Northern took the opening three points of set one, but the Cards weathered the early storm and eventually seized a 9-6 lead. 

The Polar Bears would tie the score at 9-9, and Otterbein then evened the match at 13-13 after a kill from freshman Annie Juenger.

Otterbein would ride the hot-hitting of sophomore Kelly Montgomery to take a slim 20-19 edge, however, ONU ran off four straight points to find themselves up 23-19, the largest lead of the see-saw battle.

The Cardinals drew to within a point at 23-22, but went down 24-22 a minute later and faced a set point. Standing their ground, the Cards battled to tie the set at 24-24, and the teams would stay be locked at 25-25, 26-26, and 27-27.

Northern would finally pull ahead to escape with a 29-27 victory.

Otterbein regained its focus and took an 11-9 lead in set two, only to see the Polar Bears regain momentum and stand on top at 16-13.

The Cards would win four of the next five points to even the score at 17-17, and a timely kill from Juenger down the left sideline would vault the team on top, 18-17.

A kill from sophomore Ally Nagle, the league's top hitter, gave Otterbein a 23-20 edge, and the Cards would pull out a 25-22 victory after an ONU service error and a finishing kill from Juenger.

Otterbein kept the momentum to jump out to a 5-1 lead in set three, only to see ONU win the next five points and jump ahead 6-5. 

Northern stayed strong and pushed the margin to 15-10, the largest of the match, and kept a cushion of at least three points over the next few minutes. The Cards continued to battle on a few long rally points, but Ohio Northern eventually pulled away to  hand the Cards a 25-16 loss.

Both teams would flip-flop holding the lead in set four, and Otterbein found a little breathing room after a service ace from junior Renee Willke made it 11-8.

ONU rebounded to grab a 13-12 advantage, but the lead wouldn't balloon to more than a point for either side until another service ace from Willke put the Cards up 17-15. 

A service error on the next point allowed Northern to pullin within one, but Otterbein prompted a Polar Bear timeout by running off the next three points to take the set's largest lead at 20-16.

The Cards would keep their foot on the gas pedal, taking a 25-19 victory to stay alive and force a fifth set.

Otterbein took a quick 4-1 lead in set five, but ONU responded with five straight points to leap ahead 6-4.

The Cards tied the game at 7-7, but Northern took control at 13-9, and again at 14-10. ONU then jumped on its first opportunity at match point to take set five 15-10 and cap a thrilling semi-final contest.

Nagle hit .375 for the match, leading all players with 18 kills in her quest for a conference "Player of the Year" award. Juenger finished with 15 kills while senior Rayna Coleman and Montgomery added 13 and 11, respectively.

Sophomore Lydia Wynkoop dished out 33 assists while junio libero Lindsey Russell came up with 26 digs. 

Juenger racked up 13 digs while Willke and sophomore Lizzy Flynn had 14 and 11, respectively, to contribute in the defensive game.