By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information

Toledo, Ohio---The No. 16 Owens Community College women's volleyball team suffered a stinging five set loss to No. 14 Oakland Community College in today's first match, but bounced back with two wins in the loser's bracket to advance in the Region XII District E tournament.

Winner's Bracket Semifinals: No. 14 Oakland d. No. 16 Owens 14-25, 23-25, 25-13, 25-21, 15-10

The Express lost a heartbreaker in today's first match to Oakland. After only five errors and 26 kills over the match's first two sets, the Express hit -.171, .108 and .087 in the final three sets to fall into the loser's bracket.

Erika Hartings (Coldwater/Coldwater, Ohio) and Macy Reigelsperger (Coldwater/Coldwater, Ohio) led the team offensively with 19 and 13 kills, respectively. Amara Hemenway (Bellevue/Bellevue, Ohio) was third on the team with seven.

Deanna Smith (Riverview/Riverview, Mich.) and Jessica Cooper (Brandywine/Niles, Mich.) had 19 and 18 assists, respectively, to lead the team, while Cooper also had a team-high three aces. 

Ciarra Wirick (Benjamin Logan/West Liberty, Ohio), Ally Mikesell (St. Henry/St. Henry, Ohio) and Aricka LaVoy (Eastwood/Pemberville, Ohio), meanwhile, led the team in digs. Wirick had a a team-high 28. Mikesell added 16 and LaVoy added 10. Two others had eight.

Reigelsperger led the team in blocks with 10, while Taylor Purcell (Bedford/Temperance, Mich.) added seven and Mikesell had five.

Loser's Bracket Quarterfinals: No. 16 Owens d. Macomb 25-20, 25-21, 26-24

Owens stayed alive in the tournament with a straight set win over Macomb in the second match of the day. 

Hartings (12) and Stephanie Kipp (Ida/Monroe, Mich.) led the team in kills, while Hemenway added nine. Cooper (20) and Smith (17) led the way in assists, and six players had one service ace apiece.

Mikesell and Cooper each had a team-high 11 digs. Wirick was third on the team with nine digs. Kipp, Mikesell and Reigelsperger each had a team-high two blocks.

In the second match, Hartings surpassed Reigelsperger for the team lead in kills. In doing so, she eclipsed the 500 kill mark to become the fifth player in program history to have at least 500 kills in a season. Only six times has it been done in a season with Stephanie Champine the only player to do it twice.

Wirick also eclipsed 700 season digs in the match.

Loser's Bracket Semifinals: No. 16 Owens d. No. 16 Mott 25-18, 20-25, 25-17, 25-16

Hartings blasted her way to a team-high 21 kills as Owens advanced to Sunday with a four set win over Mott in Saturday's nightcap.

Hartings had only four errors to go along with her kill total for a .486 hitting percentage. Playing without Reigelsperger, who was injured in the match against Macomb, Owens got a huge game from Kipp. She had 13 kills on only two errors for a .478 hitting percentage.

Smith and Cooper each had a team-high 24 assists, while LaVoy and Cooper each had a team-high three aces.

Wirick had a great game with 34 digs. Mikesell, once again, also had double figures in digs with 13. Mikesell had a team-high three blocks.

Next Up

Owens (33-10) will take on No. 6 Columbus State Community College at 11 a.m. tomorrow in the loser's bracket final. Should Owens win, they would get a rematch with Oakland, but must defeat them twice to win the district championship.