The Braves defeated no. 14 Dordt University 3-0; 26-24, 25-22, 25-23; in Wilson Field House last Saturday. It is OU's first win over a NAIA Top 15 team since Feb. 21, 2019 when the Braves defeated, then, no. 3 Park University 3-1 in Wilson Field House. Ottawa finished the match with 36 kills, a .290 attacking percentage, 35 assists, five service aces, 36 digs, and 14 team blocks.
Akeil Williams and
Michal Bak led OU with 11 kills apiece. Bak finished with a double-double, tallying 11 digs. He also had four blocks. Williams had five blocks.
Andrew Salinas and
Jimmy Flores had 15 assists apiece.
Kadeem Morris led OU with six blocks.
Ottawa's 14 team blocks against no. 14 Dordt University last Saturday are ranked seventh all-time in the OU record book in single game blocks.
Michael Bak was named GPAC Defensive Player of the Week for his efforts in OU's games against (RV) University of Jamestown and (14) Dordt University. He had 21 digs and six blocks in matches against nationally ranked University of Jamestown and no. 14 Dordt University. For the week Bak averaged a double-double, 11 kills and 10.5 digs per match. Bak also averaged 2.6 digs per set and 0.7 blocks per set.
The Braves are 7-11 this season and are 1-6 on the road. Through 18 matches, the Braves are averaging 9.1 kills per set, 8.4 assists per set, 2.3 blocks per set, 1.5 service aces per set, and 9.3 digs per set. OU has a .190 attacking percentage.
OU is ranked 32nd in the NAIA in service aces (95), 25th in service aces per set (1.5), 47th in receptions (1,116), 14th in reception errors (120), 43rd in digs (587), 28th in digs per set (9.3), 21st in solo blocks (48), 23rd in block assists (204), 23rd in total blocks (150), seventh in blocks per set (2.3), 16th in blocking errors (25), ninth in ball handling errors (17), 48th in points (821), and 46th in points per set (13.0).
Akeil Williams leads the Braves in kills (2.94) per set,
Andrew Salinas is OU's leader in assists (4.6),
Grant Younie is the team's leader in service aces (0.3) per set,
Kevin Davidson leads the team in digs (2.1) per set, and Williams is OU's leader in blocks (1.4) per set.
Wednesday is the ninth meeting between Ottawa University and Culver-Stockton College. OU leads the series, 5-3 and is on a four match winning streak. The Braves won both matches last season, defeating CSC on Feb. 4, 2022 3-0 and in Canto, Mo. on March 25, 2022, 3-1. The first ever meeting between the two teams happened on Feb. 6, 2016. Ottawa won the match, 3-1.
Culver-Stockton College is 3-22 overall and 1-17 in the GPAC. The Wildcats have lost eight straight matches and are 2-8 at home this season. Through 25 games, CSC averaged 8.3 kills per set, 7.9 assists per set, 0.8 blocks per set, 1.02 service aces per set, and 7.4 digs per set. The Wildcats have a .081 attacking percentage.
Malachi Gnade leads the team in kills per set (2.5), Owen Randle leads CSC in assists per set (4.8) and service aces (0.2) per set, Aidan McGuire leads the Wildcats in digs (2.5) per set, and Isaiah Robinson is Culver-Stockton's leader in blocks (0.3) per set.
CSC is ranked 46th in the NAIA in assists (632), 45th in service aces (82), 30th in service errors (255), 13th in receptions (1,571), 14th in reception errors (125), 44th in digs (595), 15th in block errors (26), and seventh in ball handling errors (19), 49th in points (818).
