'Berg Headed Back to OAC Championship Match

From warm-ups through the entire match the Heidelberg College volleyball team was pumped up and ready to battle Muskingum College in the semifinal round of the 2008 Ohio Athletic Conference Volleyball Tournament hosted by Ohio Northern University in Ada, Ohio. Heidelberg’s enthusiasm generated a sweep of the Muskies (25-20, 25-16, 30-28).
 
Heidelberg is the number two seed in the eight-team tournament, while the Muskies were number seven. The win improved Heidelberg to 30-6 on the year, while Muskingum closes out the year at 23-6. The Berg hit the 30-win plateau for the first time in the history of the program.
 
The win places Heidelberg in the championship match for the second-consecutive season. The Berg will face the winner of no. 1 Ohio Northern and no. 4 Mount Union College at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Nov. 8.
 
Heidelberg utilized a five-point run to jump out to a 9-2 lead in set one and would never relinquish its lead. However, Muskingum attempted a comeback, pulling within three, 23-20, but Audra Vucic (Lancaster, Ohio / Fisher Catholic) answered with a kills followed by a Venessa Haase (Miamisburg, Ohio /Miamisburg)service ace in the heart of the back row to seal the set one win for Heidelberg, 25-23.
 
Set two saw the Berg suffer an uncharacteristic slow start out of the gates. The Berg and Muskingum battled through some early rallies and Jackie Reinhart (New Riegel, Ohio / New Riegel) and Haase kept the Berg within striking distance. A 6-0 run that featured two kills from Haase and two service aces from Reinhart put the Berg on top 11-8 and sent them fighting. Heidelberg utilized runs of five and four en route to the 25-16 win.

 
Looking to make it a clean sweep to the championship was hard earned for Heidelberg. Trailing the majority of set three, Emily Hurlburt (St. Mary's, Ohio / Memorial) gave the Berg its first lead, 18-17, following a kill. Heidelberg extended its lead out 21-18, but Muskingum began to fish for a set win, knotting the set at 23-23, forcing a ’Berg timeout. Muskingum and Heidelberg battled through five ties and three lead changes to before Haase went back-to-back from the left side to give the lead and win to the Berg, 30-28.
 
 Vucic, Hurlburt and Haase all finished the night with 11 kills apiece, while Haase also added 12 digs for a double-double. Brittany Donelan (North Olmsted, Ohio / North Olmsted) led the way with a match-high 32 digs and Morgan Magers (Green Springs, Ohio / Old Fort) dished out 40 assists and added 11 digs for another ’Berg double-double.