WESTERVILLE, OHIO – Senior Lindsey Russell became the school’s all-time digs leader as the Otterbein women’s volleyball team took three of four matches at the Hiram Tournament over the weekend.
The Cardinals, who suffered a five-set loss at Northwestern of Ohio earlier in the week, bounced back to open the tournament with a five-set victory over Case Western Reserve. Four players tallied double-digit kills in the match, which ended with scores of 25-21, 25-10, 15-25, 23-25, and 15-7.
Freshman Tabatha Piper compiled 50 assists while Russell came up with 27 digs, leaving her three shy of the record.
Russell would surpass Mandy Simmerman’s ten-year mark of 2,046 digs in the team’s next outing against Geneva (Pa.), recording 15 to elevate her to 2,058. Simmerman’s career spanned from 1997-2001, which included a partial medical redshirt season in 1999.
“I remember getting an email from my mom during my freshman year that had four goals, and one of which was to break the record at Otterbein for career digs,” Russell explained. “I am proud of myself for accomplishing that goal but even more happy because my parents were so proud.”
The Cards made quick work of Geneva, winning 25-15, 25-16, and 25-23. Junior Kristen Bennett let the offensive attack with 11 kills.
Playing without an injured Liz Palmer on day two, the team overcame a 23-25 first set defeat against Kalamazoo (Mich.) by rallying to win the next three 25-16, 25-17, and 25-11.
Sophomore Annie Juenger and junior Ally Nagle posted 19 and 11 kills, respectively, while Bennett and freshman Kendel Kellogg each chipped in ten.
However, Otterbein would leave the tournament with somewhat of a sour taste, dropping its finale to conference foe Mount Union in four sets (13-25, 20-25, 25-16, 23-25).
“We were more out of sync and tentative than we have been in a long time,” Russell said of the team’s play over the weekend. “We seemed to lose our sense of urgency during matches that we should have closed in three games.”
Despite the loss to Mount Union, which was played as a non-conference matchup, Russell knows the team will take away some positives and return home ready to begin preparation for its Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) schedule.
“We were able to come away from the weekend with three wins and hopefully losing the last match with Mount Union will give us the motivation we need during conference play,” she said.
The group, having played its first 14 matches on the road, finally returns home to host a tri-match with Heidelberg and Columbus State on Saturday afternoon.
Otterbein opens with Heidelberg at noon in a rematch of last year’s five-set thriller, won by the Student Princes.
