SPRINGFIELD, Mo. — The Ottawa University volleyball team dropped a three-set road match to Evangel University on Wednesday night inside AGFinancial Arena. The Braves battled throughout but fell by scores of 25-22, 25-22, and 25-19.
Set One:
Ottawa started strong behind early kills from
Bailee Nickel and
Hollie Peters to take an 8-6 lead. The Braves continued to trade points with the Valor, as Peters' third kill of the set tied the frame at 17–17. Evangel, however, capitalized on late attack errors and back-to-back kills by Bella Wakley and Charlotte Hawkins to close the set, 25-22.
Set Two:
The second frame mirrored the opener with tight play from both sides. Ottawa went ahead 11–10 following a kill from Nickel and took advantage of several Evangel miscues to build a small cushion. A late surge from the Valor, including consecutive kills by Vivianna Sanchez, helped Evangel rally and finish the set on a 5–1 run for another 25-22 win.
Set Three:
Ottawa again stayed within striking distance, using early kills from
Anja Kukic and
Kira Cherry to grab a 10–8 advantage. Evangel responded behind strong offensive play from Sanchez and Wakley, who combined for multiple kills down the stretch. Despite a pair of late points from Peters and a service ace by
Jezebel Hobbs, Evangel sealed the match 25-19.
Team Leaders:
Ottawa hit .103 for the match with 31 kills on 107 attempts, while Evangel posted a .195 hitting percentage with 41 kills.
Who is Next
Ottawa (5-10, 2-3) returns to the court on Friday, October 10 against Kansas Wesleyan University in Salina, Kan. First serve is scheduled for 7:00 p.m.
