Oberlin, Ohio – The Oberlin College volleyball team produced its most efficient offensive performance of the season and pushed Case Western Reserve beyond regulation in the second set of a 3-0 decision on Wednesday night at Philips Gymnasium.
The Spartans won by set scores of 25-16, 27-25 and 25-20.
Brylie Peters and Kira Geiger led a balanced Crimson and Gold attack with 12 kills apiece. Mara Geiger added nine kills and a match-high three service aces.
Oberlin finished with 40 kills, just four fewer than CWRU, while hitting a season-best .259 for the match. The Crimson and Gold committed only 12 attacking errors across 108 attempts and combined for a .349 hitting percentage over the final two sets.
After Case Western Reserve claimed the opening frame, Oberlin responded with its best offensive set of the night. The Crimson and Gold registered 22 kills against only four errors to hit .375 in a back-and-forth second set that featured 15 ties.
Trailing 11-9, Peters sparked a five-point Oberlin run with three kills and a service ace before the Geiger sisters added consecutive finishes to extend the advantage to 16-11. The Spartans pulled even at 20, but a Kira Geiger kill and CWRU attacking error put Oberlin in front, 23-22.
Peters delivered another kill to give the Crimson and Gold set point at 24-23. CWRU fought off the opportunity and ultimately scored four of the final five points to escape with a 27-25 victory.
The Spartans jumped ahead early in the third set, but Oberlin steadily worked its way back into contention. An ace from Mara Geiger brought the Crimson and Gold within 19-15 before kills from Peters and Makela Reid narrowed the margin to three at 20-17. Genna Gauthier later added an ace, and Peters delivered another finish to keep Oberlin within three at 23-20 before CWRU secured the final two points.
Emily Spangler directed the offense with 31 assists and completed a double-double with a team-high 12 digs. Genna Gauthier added nine digs and two aces, while Klarissa Yu collected eight digs.
Volleyball returns to Philips Gymnasium on Saturday, September 19, to host the Crimson and Gold Quad
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