Oberlin, Ohio – In their final weekend contest of the regular season, the Oberlin College volleyball team battled North Coast opponent Ohio Wesleyan to four sets (25-17, 23-25, 25-14, 25-15) on Senior Day.
Prior to first serve, the Crimson and Gold celebrated their two Class of 2027 graduates,
Makela Reid and
Evelyn Welton.
"I'm proud of the growth of the team this season and the wins that we have been able to produce together to make it to the postseason. Makela and Evelyn have contributed a lot to the development of our play. I'm looking forward to finishing out the regular season and preparing for DePauw," Head Coach
Jasmine Brown adds.
Mara Geiger paced the Oberlin offense with 14 kills while
Kira Geiger also finished in double digits with 10.
Mimi Spangler led with a match-high 28 assists, while
Mary Ellen Lovelace defended the backline with 12 digs. Both K. Geiger and
Nickiah Walker finished the day with multi-block performances, with a trio of blocks from K. Geiger and a pair of blocks from Walker.
Ohio Wesleyan jumped out to an early lead and connected short rallies to administer some pressure. Oberlin fought to close the gap with kills from K. Geiger,
Brylie Peters, Walker, and M. Geiger, but the Battling Bishops were able to take the first set 25-17.
M. Geiger opened the second set with a kill after a set from Lovelace, paving the way for a strong set for the Crimson and Gold. Trailing 8-5, Oberlin responded with four of the next five points to tie OWU. Following a Battling Bishops block, the Crimson and Gold surged with eight unanswered points, highlighted by a trio of kills each for the Geiger duo. Ohio Wesleyan answered with their own collection of rallies, gaining a slight 20-19 edge. Continuing to persevere, Oberlin claimed the second set 25-23.
Though Ohio Wesleyan began the third frame with another early edge, the Crimson and Gold fought to remain within striking distance with early kills from K. Geiger and M. Geiger as well as a block from the duo of Peters and K. Geiger. Maintaining a 17-12 advantage, OWU widened their gap on a six-point run and eventually took the third set.
Following a kill from Peters after a pass from Spangler, Oberlin maintained a slight 5-4 edge in the fourth session. The Battling Bishops pulled ahead behind seven straight points en route to their strongest hitting of the contest. Fueled by an offensive spark, the Yeowomen recorded four of the next five points with kills from Peters, Reid, and M. Geiger, and a Peters ace to narrow the gap. OWU delivered another rally, extending their lead to 18-9, ultimately claiming the four-set victory.
With conference play concluded in the regular season, Oberlin secures the sixth seed to advance to the NCAC Tournament while Ohio Wesleyan earns the Co-Champion title and the No. 2 seed.
The Crimson and Gold return to action on Wednesday, November 4, for their final home game of the season when they host Kalamazoo. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.
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