Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 | Box Score 3 | Box Score 4

HANOVER, Ind. – The Otterbein University volleyball team turned in a 2-2 record over the weekend at the Hanover College Invitational, dropping a pair of matches Friday before rebounding to win both come Saturday.

Day 1:

Otterbein endured a pair of 3-1 losses to open the action, beginning with a 22-25, 20-25, 25-16, 18-25 setback to Spalding University (Ky.)

The Golden Eagles opened a 10-3 lead early in the first set, but a pesky Cardinal bunch scrapped back to close within a points, 23-22, later in the frame. Spalding would find a way to capture the ensuing two points and settle into an early lead.

The second set found itself locked at 18-18 after some back-and-forth rallies, but Spalding once again found a way to prevail by closing with three-straight points. The Cards staved off elimination with a solid third frame, using a quick 5-0 run early on to open a 14-7 edge and never look back.

Spalding held a 12-4 lead in the fourth set before Otterbein countered with an 8-0 run, but the Golden Eagles regrouped to eventually win six-straight of their own later in the set to hold on. Team stats were fairly comparable in most categories, but the Cards committed 10 service errors compared to just four on the other side.

Jessica Diehl was impressive for Spalding, finishing with a .600 percentage after ripping off 17 kills, and just one error, on 26 total attempts. Marie Thornton totaled a team-high 10 kills for Otterbein while three others had eight, including an 8-2-19 line from Brett Bey. Setter Andrea Miller turned in a solid 38 assists while freshman libero Ashlyn Leon totaled 20 digs in the back.

Otterbein earned a first-set win against host Hanover before dropping the next three, losing the match by counts of 25-20, 15-25, 16-25, 16-25. The opener saw ties of 12-12 and 13-13 before the Cards found breathing room with a 6-1 spurt.

The Panthers put Otterbein in early holes during the second and third sets, but the fourth was deadlocked at 14-14 before Hanover sprinted away with an 11-2 run to close the set, and match.

Thornton had 11 kills while Bey turned in 10 against Hanover. Bey (.222) was the only Cardinal to hit over .200 in the contest.
Kristen Goben led all players with 12 kills for Hanover, which hit .231 as a team compared to just a .028 clip for Otterbein. Both sides combined for 21 service errors throughout.
 
Day 2:

Otterbein entered Saturday seeking a bounce-back effort, and started the cause early with a four-set triumph over Anderson University (Ind.) by scores of 13-25, 25-13, 25-9, 27-25.

The Cards appeared primed for victory after a lopsided third-set victory and then holding a 21-18 lead in the fourth, but the Ravens remained stingy by fighting off three match points before Otterbein sealed the deal.

Bey, Thornton and Alana King-Mendenhall each roped off a match-high 10 kills for a Cardinal squad that hit a solid .282 as a unit. Miller distributed another 38 assists while Olivia Harris also contributed nicely offensively with six kills, and no errors, on 13 attempts (.462).

Otterbein made quick work facing Saint Mary-of-the-Woods to complete the event, winning by scores of 25-17, 25-22, 25-16 behind another balanced offensive attack. Bey, who finished the weekend with 38 kills, turned in another 10 while Harris and King-Mendenhall added eight and seven, respectively.

Miller had 30 helpers, and 131 spanning the entire trip, while Leon dug up 27 balls for the defense. Otterbein held Saint Mary-of-the-Woods to a .070 hitting percentage and had eight service aces.

The Cardinals will be back in action Tuesday evening, staying on the road to take on Mount Vernon Nazarene at 7 p.m.