Wittenberg Box Score

WESTERVILLE, OHIO – The Otterbein women’s volleyball team swept a three-night home stand over the weekend, including a thrilling upset victory over No. 3 Wittenberg Saturday evening night at the Rike Center.

With the three wins, the Cardinals improve to 16-4 on the season and extend their win streak to five matches.

Sophomore Annie Juenger recorded a team-high 14 kills and added 11 digs to help lead the Cardinals to victory over Wittenberg, 3-2 (17-25, 25-21, 14-25, 26-24, 15-9).

Juniors Ally Nagle and Kristen Bennett added 12 and 11 kills, respectively. Nagle, who was second in the conference in hitting percentage at the beginning of the week, finished the night with a .455 kill percentage (12 of 22).

Sophomore Liz Palmer added nine kills on 20 attempts (.350), and led the Cardinals with three blocks.

Senior Lindsey Russell led the defensive effort for Otterbein with 32 digs, while freshman Tabatha Piper continued her strong play with a match-high 44 assists.

The victory over Wittenberg was a first for fifth-year head coach Monica McDonald, who had never previously faced her alma mater. McDonald was a two-time All-American for the Tigers from 2001-2004.

Friday evening saw the team turn back Oberlin in three quick sets by counts of 25-14, 25-6, and 25-10. Palmer, nine kills and no errors on 11 attempts (.818), and Nagle, seven kills on 14 attempts, led the way offensively. All 17 Cardinals saw action in the match.

Otterbein also defeated Mount Vernon Nazarene by scores of 25-20, 25-14, and 25-21 Thursday evening.

Palmer registered a career-high 14 kills on 21 chances in the victory, while Juenger had 12 kills on 23 attempts. Nagle also added 11 kills on 16 attacks (.688).

Piper dished out 39 assists from her setter position for a Cardinal team that hit .438 for the match.

Nagle and Palmer turned in impressive hitting performances over the three days, finishing the weekend with percentages of .538 and .500, respectively. Piper, the OAC's leader in assists, totaled 103 over the three matches.

The Cardinals return to action  on Tuesday, Oct. 4 when they travel to Muskingum for a 7 p.m. Ohio Athletic Conference tilt.