ATCHISON, Kan. - Ottawa dropped a hard-fought four-set match to Benedictine College, falling 25-17, 11-25, 21-25, 23-25 at Ralph Nolan Gymnasium. With the result, both teams moved to 3-6 on the season.
The Braves came out strong with an efficient first set, hitting .194 as
Campbell Stark and
Lillian Holden powered the offense. However, Benedictine responded with a dominant second set, hitting an eye-popping .487 behind the arm of Barbara Terra, who finished with a match-high 25 kills. Despite competitive efforts in sets three and four, Ottawa couldn't overcome the Ravens' balanced attack and back-row defense.
Ottawa Leaders
- Campbell Stark – 9 kills, 6 blocks, 12 points
- Samantha Stahl – 8 kills, 3 aces, 17 digs, 12 points
- Lillian Holden – 7 kills, .438 hitting, 4 blocks, 9 points
- Bailee Nickel – 8 kills, 3 blocks, 10.5 points
- Makela Martinez – 20 assists, 4 digs
- Madison Brauner – 16 assists, 8 digs
Team totals: 41 kills, 38 assists, 7 service aces, 60 digs, 20 block assists
Set 1 (Ottawa 25–17)
- Stark opened the match with a kill off the block to set the tone.
- Nickel added a pair of kills and Holden recorded two quick blocks to give Ottawa an 18-12 cushion.
- Stahl sealed the set with a service ace down the sideline.
Set 2 (Benedictine 25–11)
- Terra took over early with six kills in the first 12 points.
- The Ravens hit .487 in the frame, overwhelming Ottawa's defense.
- Ottawa struggled offensively, committing five attack errors.
Set 3 (Benedictine 25–21)
- Ottawa pushed back with Holden and Stark combining for five kills to keep it close.
- At 20–20, Terra and Lucy Drexel sparked a 5–1 run with back-to-back kills, giving the Ravens the set.
Set 4 (Benedictine 25–23)
- The Braves jumped ahead 13–9 behind Stahl's serving run, including two aces.
- Benedictine clawed back, tying it at 21 with Drexel's cross-court winner.
- Terra closed out the match with her 25th kill, narrowly denying Ottawa a fifth set.
Who is Next
Ottawa (3-6) returns to the court on Wednesday, Sept. 24 against Oklahoma Wesleyan University in Bartlesville, Okla. The match is scheduled to begin at 6:00 p.m.a
