Granville, Ohio – In a back-and-forth battle on the road, the Oberlin College volleyball team took Denison to five sets on Wednesday night (25-18, 12-25, 25-21, 19-25, 5-15), battling the Big Red to five sets for the first time since 2009.
Brylie Peters commanded the Crimson and Gold attack with 22 kills, notching a double-double with 16 digs as well as a pair of aces.
Kira Geiger recorded 12 kills, producing a hitting percentage of .409, while
Mara Geiger added 10 kills.
Mary Ellen Lovelace led the Oberlin defense with 18 digs, while
Mimi Spangler posted 16 digs and a match-high 37 assists. Contributing to the defensive effort, K. Geiger recorded four blocks, with M. Geiger tallying three, and solo blocks from
Nickiah Walker and Spangler.
A back-and-forth battle to start the contest, the Crimson and Gold constructed an 8-2 rally propelled by four kills from Peters. Though Denison worked to cut the deficit, Oberlin continued their offensive momentum to keep the hosts at a distance. With a kill followed by an ace to secure the first set, Oberlin tallied 17 kills in the opening frame, the most of either team in a single set during the match.
The Crimson and Gold jumped to an early 7-1 lead, but the Big Red responded with six straight points to level the match. Maintaining a slight 12-11 edge, Denison recorded nine unanswered points to extend their lead. A kill from Peters halted their momentum, but the Big Red were able to claim the second set.
Behind 5-2 to start the third session, Oberlin delivered a seven-point surge to pull ahead. Denison worked their way back, tying Oberlin at 14-14, and ultimately gaining a slight 16-15 edge. The Yeowomen responded with five of the next six points and gradually worked their way to take the third set 25-21.
The Crimson and Gold opened the fourth set with the first five points from four kills, with a trio of them coming off the hand of Peters. Tied at 11-11, Denison slowly began to increase their advantage. Though Oberlin remained close, the Big Red claimed the fourth set, forcing a fifth-set tiebreaker. Jumping to an early lead, Denison registered their strongest hitting of the night to clinch the match.
The Crimson and Gold return home on Saturday, October 31, when they host Ohio Wesleyan for Senior Day. First serve is scheduled for 1 p.m. following the brief ceremony.
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