TIFFIN, Ohio—The No. 6 Heidelberg University volleyball team will look to extend its 15-match winning streak when it faces John Carroll University on Tuesday, Oct. 18 in an Ohio Athletic Conference match at the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center in University Heights, Ohio. Live stats for the match will be available at http://www.sidearmstats.com/jcu/wvball/.
The Berg, 23-2 overall and 6-0 in the OAC following a 3-1 (25-17, 20-25, 25-18, 25-22) win against the University of Mount Union on Saturday to keep sole possession of first place in the conference, has already clinched a berth in the OAC tournament and will be looking to secure home court advantage throughout the tournament with three conference matches left on the schedule. In addition to its 15-match winning streak, Heidelberg has won 18 consecutive matches against conference opponents dating back to last season and has won 45 of its last 49 sets.
Twelfth-year head coach Jason Miller’s team features one of the most potent offenses and stingiest defenses in the OAC, topping the league with a .282 hitting percentage and ranking third with 12.96 kills per set, while the defense is second by holding opponents to a .123 hitting percentage and averaging 2.40 blocks per set. Against Mount Union, three student-athletes tallied 10 or more kills and three more had 20 or more digs.
Junior second-team All-OAC outside hitter Marian Bevington (Celina/Parkway) leads both the offense—with a 2.74 kills per set average (189 kills) and a .364 hitting percentage—and defense—with 1.12 blocks per set (77 total blocks), all of which are second in the OAC.
Senior reigning OAC player of the year Jackie Reinhart (New Riegel) (181 kills, 2.45 kps.) and senior second-team All-OAC outside hitter outside hitter Venessa Haase (Miamisburg) (174, 2.49 kps.) will also see plenty of action at the net. Haase is also second in the conference with 0.53 service aces per set.
Junior setter Rachel Ferguson (Brighton, Mich./Brighton) and sophomore setter Alexa Frank (Tiffin/Calvert) will set the offense. Ferguson is second in the league with 6.28 assists per set (446 assists), while Frank averages 4.30 aps. (288 assists) of her own.
In addition to Bevington on defense, freshman libero Tessa Benanzer (Fort Loramie) averages 4.71 digs per set (325 digs), while Reinhart tallies 4.07 dps. (301 digs), which stand eighth and 10th in the league, respectively.
John Carroll enters the match 9-14 overall and 0-5 in the OAC following a 3-0 loss to Muskingum University on Friday. The Blue Streaks’ offense is led by Kerry Fox, who leads the team with 2.38 kps. (190 kills) and 4.25 aps. (340 assists). The defense is anchored by Melanie Rodriguez with 4.99 dps. (374 digs) and Charlotte Sykora with 0.62 blocks per set (45 total blocks).
The Berg boasts a perfect 5-0 record in true road contests and is 18-2 away from home.
Following Tuesday’s match, Heidelberg will face Marietta College in an OAC match on Friday, Oct. 21, and take on Thiel (Pa.) College and Pitt – Bradford on Saturday, Oct. 22 in Marietta.