OMAHA, Neb. — The Ottawa University women's volleyball team battled No. 11 Dakota Wesleyan University on Saturday afternoon but fell in three sets, 25-17, 25-19, 25-20.
Set One: Dakota Wesleyan 25, Ottawa 17
Ottawa went toe-to-toe with the Tigers early in the opening set.
Kira Cherry gave the Braves a 2-1 lead with a kill, and
Ciara Gray followed with a kill for a 3-2 advantage. After DWU moved in front, Ottawa fought back to tie the set at 5-5.
The Braves stayed within striking distance and pulled to within one, 12-11, after back-to-back blocks involving
Campbell Stark and Cherry. Dakota Wesleyan answered with a 7-1 run to take control at 19-12. Ottawa scored three straight late, including a block by
Asaiah Littlefield and
Tymerian Carrathus, but the Tigers closed out the set, 25-17.
Set Two: Dakota Wesleyan 25, Ottawa 19
Ottawa came out strong in the second, taking a 5-2 lead behind kills from Stark, Gray and
Haven Jones. The Tigers worked their way back and eventually took an 8-7 advantage.
Bailee Nickel answered with a kill to tie the set at 8-8.
Dakota Wesleyan eventually built an 18-12 lead, but the Braves did not go away. Trailing 21-14, Ottawa put together four straight points behind kills from Cherry, Gray twice and Stark to cut the deficit to 21-18. The Tigers, however, scored four of the final five points to take the set, 25-19.
Set Three: Dakota Wesleyan 25, Ottawa 20
Ottawa took an early 3-2 lead behind its play at the net and later tied the set at 6-6. Dakota Wesleyan moved ahead 10-7 before kills by Jones and Nickel brought OU within one, 10-9.
Ottawa continued to pressure the Tigers. Cherry's kill and a DWU attack error tied the set at 12-12, and the Braves remained within one at 16-15 and 17-16. Dakota Wesleyan created separation with a 4-1 run for a 21-17 lead. Ottawa pulled within 21-19 and later 23-20 on kills by Cherry, but the Tigers scored the final two points for the 25-20 victory.
Inside the Box Score
- Ciara Gray led Ottawa offensively with eight kills and added four digs.
- Bailee Nickel finished with six kills, eight digs and Ottawa's lone service ace.
- Kira Cherry recorded five kills with just one attack error and was part of five block assists, finishing with 7.5 points.
- Campbell Stark was efficient in the middle, finishing with four kills on 10 attacks without an error for a team-best .400 attacking percentage. She also had five block assists.
- Makela Martinez handed out a team-high 19 assists and added four digs.
- Carson Schuman led the Braves defensively with 12 digs, while Madison Brauner had nine and Nickel and Katie Bertrand added eight apiece.
- Ottawa finished with 28 kills, 24 assists, 58 digs, one service ace and 10 total blocks. The Braves held a significant advantage at the net, with DWU finishing with four total blocks.
- OU hit .049 for the match, improving from -.103 in the opening set to .106 in the second and .087 in the third. Dakota Wesleyan finished at .181.
- Dakota Wesleyan's Keatyn Liebsack led all players with 12 kills, while Karly VanDerWerff and Madisyn Grimsrud finished with 10 kills apiece.
Who is Next
Ottawa (2-6) returns to the court on Tuesday, Sept. 8 at Columbia College against the Cougars at 1:30 p.m. and Central Methodist University 3:30 p.m.
