(1) Ohio Northern d. (5) Capital 25-30, 30-27, 26-30, 30-27, 15-9
(ADA, Ohio)--Fifth-seeded Capital University gave top-seeded and nationally ranked Ohio Northern University all it could handle in a 3-2 loss Friday in the semifinals of the Ohio Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament in Ada, Ohio.
The loss ends the Crusaders season with a 21-10 mark, while the Polar Bears move to 26-6. They can clinch the conference's automatic bid to the NCAA Division III Volleyball Championships against No. 3-seed Heidleberg College, a 3-2 winner over No. 2-seed Mount Union College, tomorrow at 2 p.m, in Ada.
In game one, Capital got nine kills from senior Jessie Hampson (Lancaster/Lancaster) to win 30-25. The Polar Bears battled back to take game two 30-27. The Crusaders took a 2-1 advantage after a 30-26 win in game three. In game four, Capital had a 27-26 lead before host Ohio Northern rallied for the final four points in a 30-27 win. The Polar Bears then took the fifth and deciding game 15-9 for the victory.
Hampson, a two-time All-American, posted 21 kills, 20 digs and nine blocks in what could be her final collegiate match for Capital. The Crusaders also got 16 kills from Allison Hostetler (Dalton/Dalton), 14 from Sarah Gallik (Chagrin Falls/Kenston) and 29 assists from Kara Guster (Orrville/Orrville) to pace the offense. On defense, Sara Doebel (Clyde/Clyde) had 22 digs and junior Jackie Helm (Lancaster/Fisher Catholic) had 21.
Ohio Northern got 21 kills from Laura Vuyk, 75 assists from Katie Weininger and 38 digs from Amanda Fought.