GAMBIER, Ohio – Oberlin College (4-7, 1-0 NCAC) won a spirited affair over Kenyon College (6-5, 0-1 NCAC) Friday night in a North Coast Athletic Conference volleyball match at Tomsich Arena.
After dropping the opening set by a 28-26 count, the Yeowomen came back to win the next three sets 25-17, 25-18 and 25-22.
In the opening game, there were nine ties and 10 lead changes. Oberlin gained a late 22-20 lead following an ace from Sara Chang. The Ladies responded to tie the set at 22 after a Yeowomen attack error. A few points later with the score tied at 24, Kenyon pulled through to victory with a kill from
Lauren Kerr and another Yeowomen error.
Set two saw Oberlin gain an 8-3 advantage after a Kenyon error early on. The Ladies clawed back to bring the score to 10-8 after a
Delaney Swanson kill but that was the closest the home team would get the rest of the way. Oberlin went up 20-11 after another Ladies error and eventually prevailed 25-17.
Schuyler Stupica's kill in the third set gave the Ladies an 8-5 advantage early, however, Oberlin responded. Jillian Hostetler, an outside hitter for the visitors, pushed her team ahead 10-9 with a kill. Oberlin went on a 5-0 run later in the set to go up its biggest margin (19-12). Kenyon wasn't able to mount a comeback after that.
In the fourth and final set, it appeared the Ladies would win and force a winner-take-all fifth set. But the Yeowomen didn't give in.
Kenyon led 17-10 after a Stupica kill, but Oberlin fought back. A 14-3 run capped off by another Hostetler kill gave the Yeowomen a 21-20 lead. Kenyon retook the lead at 22-21 after an error, but once again, Oberlin tied the match at 22. They reeled off the next three points, including benefitting from two Ladies errors, to win the match.
Swanson led Kenyon with 12 kills and 13 digs while Stupica added a season-high 10 kills. Kerr added six blocks and
Jensen Shurbert dished out 31 assists.
The Ladies will try and get back in the win column tomorrow when they visit NCAC rival Denison University for a 1 p.m. match.
Freshman Schuyler Stupica totaled a season-high 10 kills Friday night as Kenyon fell in a highly-competitive match against Oberlin at Tomsich Arena.
