Springfield, Ohio – November 12, 2010 – The Heidelberg University volleyball team’s run in the 2010 NCAA Division III Volleyball Championships concluded in the second round of the Great Lakes Regional with a 3-1 (25-18, 16-25, 25-18, 25-19) setback to Calvin College. Heidelberg was the one-seed of the eight-team regional and was ranked 13th in the nation, while Calvin was the five seed and stands 10th in the nation.
The setback concludes Heidelberg’s record-setting season at 33-6, while Calvin improves to 28-6. The 33 wins set a single-season record at the Berg and led to a sweep of the Ohio Athletic Conference trophies. It was the first time that the Berg swept the trophies in addition to its third overall regular season title.
Heidelberg will lose two players to graduation, including the three-time OAC Libero of the Year and All-American Brittany Donelan (North Olmsted, Ohio / North Olmsted), as well as three-year letter winner Suzy Street (Grafton, Ohio / Midview). In today’s match, Donelan became the all-time digs leader in the OAC. Donelan will graduate with 2,687 digs to her credit. She entered today’s match needing just one to tie the record. Her OAC record came a couple weeks after becoming the career leader at the Berg.
The match began with a back and forth battle with either side holding a lead that was not larger than two points. With the score tied at 9-9, Calvin went on to outscore the Berg 10-3 to force a ’Berg time out. Amber Welfle (Norwalk, Ohio / St. Paul) came out of the break with a kill for Heidelberg, but could not swing the momentum from the Knights.
Heidelberg returned to form in the second set and jumped out to a 4-0 lead. Calvin would pull within three points, but that would be as close as the Knights would get. The Berg held a 21-14 advantage late in the set to lead to the eventual victory. Venessa Haase (Miamisburg, Ohio / Miamisburg) led the way for the Berg in the set with two kills and two service aces.
Roles reversed again in set three. Calvin scored the first three points and would never relinquish its lead. The Knights extended its early lead to seven points, 13-6. Heidelberg answered with a kill by Jacki Street (Grafton, Ohio / Midview) and eventually pulled within four points, 18-14, but that would be as close as they would get. Marian Bevington (Celina, Ohio / Parkway) led the way for the Berg with four kills.
Heidelberg did not go down without a fight. In the fourth set Calvin scored first, but the Berg battled back to tie the set at 14-14. Calvin took advantage of three ’Berg miscues to take control of the match at 17-14 and never looked back.
For the match, Jackie Reinhart (New Riegel, Ohio / New Riegel) led Heidelberg with a double-double that consisted of 10 kills and 10 digs. Bevington tallied nine kills followed by Haase with seven. Haase served up two aces.
Rachel Ferguson (Brighton, Mich. / Brighton) and Alexa Frank (Tiffin, Ohio / Calvert) dished out 23 and 14 assists, respectively.
Donelan led the back row with 16 digs. Haase provided back up with 12 and Reinhart had her 10.