Braves Take Six-Match Winning Streak to Sterling
The Ottawa University women's volleyball team will look to extend its six-match winning streak when it travels to Sterling, Kan., to face Sterling College in a Kansas Collegiate Athletic Conference (KCAC) matchup.
Ottawa enters the contest with an overall record of 11-9 and an 8-2 mark in KCAC play. The Braves have won six straight matches, including a 3-1 victory over Friends University on Wednesday, Oct. 28. OU has won nine of its last 11 matches and is 3-3 on the road this season.
Sterling enters the matchup with a 16-3 overall record and a 7-3 KCAC record. The Warriors had their five-match winning streak snapped with a 3-0 loss to the University of Saint Mary on Oct. 24.
Ottawa leads the all-time series against Sterling, 50-38, and has won 17 of the last 18 meetings between the two programs.
Ottawa Quick Hits
Ottawa is 11-9 overall and 8-2 in the KCAC, entering the match on a six-match winning streak.The Braves have won nine of their last 11 matches, with their only losses during that stretch coming against Avila University and McPherson College. OU defeated Friends University 3-1 on Wednesday, Oct. 28, extending its winning streak to six matches. Ottawa is averaging 11.39 kills, 10.53 assists, 15.92 digs, 1.15 service aces, and 2.41 blocks per set. The Braves rank ninth in the NAIA in blocks per set (2.41) and have recorded 181 total blocks. Ottawa is hitting .168 overall and has improved to a .187 hitting percentage in KCAC play.
Bailee Nickel was named the KCAC Attacker of the Week. Nickel leads Ottawa with 223 kills, averaging 3.05 kills per set. She has also recorded 221 digs, 34 blocks, and 13 service aces.
Campbell Stark leads the Braves with 105 blocks, averaging 1.40 blocks per set. Stark is second on the team with 156 kills and leads OU with a .291 hitting percentage among its primary attackers.
Kira Cherry has recorded 138 kills and 54 blocks, while
Ciara Gray has 134 kills, 25 blocks, and 16 service aces.
Rilyn Conard has added 86 kills and 31 blocks.
Madison Brauner and
Makela Martinez lead Ottawa's offense from the setter position. Martinez has 344 assists, while Brauner has 342. Brauner also leads the Braves with 22 service aces.
Carson Schuman leads Ottawa with 318 digs, averaging 4.24 digs per set. She has also contributed 56 assists and 16 service aces. Nickel is second on the team with 221 digs, followed by Brauner with 159 and Martinez with 123. Ottawa is 7-0 at home, 3-3 on the road, and 1-6 at neutral sites.
Sterling Quick Hits
Sterling enters the match with a 16-3 overall record and a 7-3 KCAC mark. The Warriors are 5-1 at home, 7-2 on the road, and 4-0 at neutral sites. Sterling had won five consecutive matches before falling 3-0 to Saint Mary on Oct. 24. The Warriors are averaging 12.17 kills, 11.46 assists, 17.67 digs, 1.43 service aces, and 2.84 blocks per set. Sterling ranks first in the NAIA in blocks per set (2.84) and has recorded 179 total blocks. The Warriors rank 26th nationally in digs per set (17.67) and 43rd in hitting percentage (.212).
Aliya McClanahan leads Sterling with 173 kills, averaging 2.84 kills per set. She is hitting .376 and leads the Warriors with 106 blocks, averaging 1.74 per set. Madison Lundeen and Keala Wilson Brown have each recorded 120 kills. Wilson Brown also leads Sterling with 322 assists and 26 service aces. Chloe Schmidt has added 110 kills, a .345 hitting percentage, and 61 blocks. Gracie Kirchhoff has contributed 90 kills, while Kaira Rodriguez has recorded 52. Grace Battershell is second on the team with 289 assists. Taylor "Dru" Lindsey leads Sterling with 281 digs, averaging 4.68 per set. Wilson Brown is second with 191 digs, followed by KcAnna Keiswetter with 149, Sterling is holding its opponents to a .087 hitting percentage and 10.83 kills per set.
Series History: Ottawa Leads 50-38
Ottawa leads the all-time series against Sterling College, 50-38. The first recorded meeting between the two programs took place on Nov. 6, 1976, when Ottawa defeated Sterling in three sets, 15-11, 4-15, 15-10. The Braves have controlled the series in recent years, winning 17 of the last 18 meetings. Ottawa put together a 17-match winning streak against the Warriors from Sept. 27, 2014, through Nov. 1, 2024. Sterling snapped that streak in the most recent meeting, defeating Ottawa 3-0 (25-23, 25-18, 25-23) on Nov. 1, 2025, in Ottawa. The Braves have also enjoyed success on the road against Sterling, winning their last eight recorded matches in Sterling dating back to Oct. 31, 2013. Ottawa's most recent road victory in the series came on Nov. 1, 2024, when the Braves swept the Warriors 25-23, 25-22, 25-23.
