Women's Volleyball drops two matches at Illinois Wesleyan Classic

By Ashley Birchmeier

BLOOMINGTON, Ill. — The Ohio Northern volleyball team dropped two matches on Friday to move to 4-2 on the season. ONU opened play at the Illinois Wesleyan Classic with 4-set losses to No. 21-ranked Coe (Iowa) and to tournament host Illinois Wesleyan. 

In thd first match, Coe edged Ohio Northern 25-17, 25-18, 23-25, 26-24. The Polar Bears got off to a slow start in game one recording only 34 total attacks led by junior Ellie Gillespie. 

ONU won set three and forced a game four. In game three, the Polar Bears were able to hang onto a small lead due to the attack of junior Kaitlann Hogrefe, who recorded three kills in the set. In the fourth set spohomore Claire Heitkamp had five kills on just six total attacks to pace ONU. 

In the last match of the evening ONU took on Illinois Wesleyan. The Polar Bears lost in four matches by scores of 25-22, 23-25, 25-22, 25-19. Illinois Wesleyan took the first game but ONU was able to win game two.

Ohio Northern jumped out to a quick 4-0 lead due to the attack of freshman Hannah Davis and Gillespie. Davis led the offense for ONU in the match with 13 kills, freshman Ashley Borchers had 41 assist in the match and 9 digs. 

The Polar Bears will next be in action Saturday at 1 pm (CDT) as they take on Benedictine (Ill.) in day two of the Illinois Wesleyan Classic.