Oilers Take Down Timberwolves in Four Sets
Midland, MI – The University of Findlay volleyball team traveled north to Midland to take on Great Midwest Athletic Conference (G-MAC) newcomer Northwood on Tuesday, Oct. 25. A pair of sets took extra points, but it was the Oilers who came away with a 3-1 (25-23, 25-27, 25-20, 28-26) victory. With the win, Findlay improves to 16-11 overall and are now 12-2 in conference play with four games remaining in the regular season.
The first set of action set the tone for what would be a tightly contested match. Northwood and Findlay went back and forth early with neither team taking control of the opening set. It wasn't until the score was 18-17 that Findlay went on a short 4-to-1 run that gave the Oilers the biggest lead of the match thus far at 22-18. They would go on to close the first 25-23.
In the second, Northwood had the largest lead at 18-14 but Findlay closed the gap to tie the score at 25. However, the Timberwolves scored the next two points to take the set and tie the match.
Although the final scores of the final two sets were close, it was the Oilers who were in control for much of the time. In the third, Findlay's biggest lead was nine at 19-10 and in the fourth their biggest lead was seven at 10-3. A late run by NU in the fourth would send the final frame into extra points but an attack error by the Timberwolves and an ace by Findlay's freshman Emma White ended the match.
The Oilers did not hit particularly well in the match, picking up 54 kills on 145 attacks for a kill percentage of .228, however, it bested the effort by Northwood who had a kill percentage of just .146. Findlay also had an advantage at the net, picking up 25 blocks to just 14 for Northwood.
Sophomore Journey Blevins, who ranks sixth in the country in kills per set and fifth in the country in total kills, was Findlay's offensive weapon on Tuesday as she tallied a match-high 22 kills in the win. She also had ten digs and a trio of blocks.
Senior Norah Painter chipped in with 11 kills and had three blocks, as well, while freshman Alana Pohlman had nine kills and five blocks. Senior Emma Meyer was the team's leader at the net as she finished with seven blocks on the night while adding in eight kills.
White was the catalyst for the offense as she picked up 50 assists in the victory. The Tiffin, Ohio native improves on what has been an incredible debut season as she now ranks second in the country in total assists. White, along with sophomore Ava Doster, had a pair of aces. Doster led the Oilers with 21 digs.
Findlay will now take on Hillsdale on Friday, Oct. 28 on the road before turning around and playing the Chargers the following day, Oct. 29, at home.