Box Score
BEXLEY, Ohio – The Cardinal volleyball team launched Otterbein's rivalry weekend with Capital in thrilling fashion Friday night on the road, fighting off four match points in the deciding set to emerge by scores of 25-23, 19-25, 25-23, 21-25, 19-17.

The Cardinals advance to 10-5 on the season and 1-1 within Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) play with the victory, while the loss drops Capital to 4-14 this fall and 0-1 to start league play.

Otterbein got off to a strong start, opening a 16-11 lead midway through the first set and forcing the host Crusaders to call a timeout. An upset-minded Capital rallied out of the break, however, going on a nice 11-3 run to seize a 22-19 advantage.

The Cardinals countered to win the set, regaining serve on a Capital attacking error, getting three-straight points behind the serve of senior Brenna McNally and then watching junior Brett Bey blast home the final-two points of the frame.

The Purple and White led essentially the entire second set, building a quick 8-2 lead before Otterbein closed the gap, to 13-12, after a pair of Capital miscues. The frame then saw ties at 15 and 16 before Capital won three-straight points and eventually tied the match.

Otterbein flew out to begin the third game, grabbing a 10-5 lead after a kill from sophomore Alana King-Mendenhall and keeping the margin, come 16-11, following a kill from Bey. The hosts then won four-straight points to force Cardinal head coach Monica Wright to call a timeout.

The frame then saw exchanges from both sides, with Otterbein going ahead 19-16, followed by Capital moving ahead with five-straight points, the Cards responding with four-straight of their own, and then the hosts drawing even at 23. Otterbein fortunately prevailed, getting a kill from junior Morgan Lowenkamp and a Capital error en route to another 25-23 triumph.

Otterbein took a 9-4 lead early in the fourth but, staying with the theme of runs, Capital responded with a 7-1 spurt to jump on top and ultimately open a 16-11 cushion. The Crusaders then led 19-13, all part of a 15-4 run, and would hang on to win the set after the Cards rallied to within a point.

Both sides traded points to begin the decisive set, with the serving team losing each point until Otterbein went up 5-3 to snap the brief trend. King-Mendenhall delivered a timely block for an 8-4 halfway through, but Capital strung together six-straight points to gain a lead.

The Cardinals later saw their backs firmly against the wall by facing the four different match points, but managed to fight off defeat each time and survive with a service ace from McNally and a finishing kill from junior Marie Thornton. McNally entered the match ranked third in the OAC in serving.

Four Cardinals tallied double-digit kills, led by 13 from Lowenkamp, 12 from Bey and 10 from both Thornton and King-Mendenhall. Setter Andrea Miller matched a season-high with 39 assists, libero Ashlyn Leon dug 18 balls and Otterbein overcame 17 service errors.

Otterbein will have a quick turnaround to finish out the weekend, stepping away from OAC play to partake in the Mount St. Joseph tri-match. The Cards will play Defiance and the host Lions.