By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Toledo, Ohio---The No. 8 Owens Community College women's volleyball team hit a season-high .405 to take down Columbus State Community College 25-13, 25-20, 25-18 in the Student Health and Activities Center (SHAC) this afternoon.
In the first set, Erika Hartings (Coldwater/Coldwater, Ohio) got things started with back-to-back kills. Later, Tyanna Smith (Bowling Green/Bowling Green, Ohio) produced a kill and a block to extend the Owens lead to 13-7, which forced the first Columbus State timeout of the set.
Further on, an Abigail Hesselschwardt (Otsego/Grand Rapids, Ohio) kill put Owens up 10 and forced another timeout. The set ended on a Taylor Purcell (Bedford/Temperance, Mich.) kill from the right side.
In the first set, the trio of Macy Reigelsperger (Coldwater/Coldwater, Ohio), Hartings and Purcell combined for 14 kills on zero errors. Hartings hit .800, Reigelsperger hit .714 and Purcell hit .556 in the set.
The second set was back and forth as neither team could pull away until the end.
Columbus State scored the first three points until a net violation gave Owens some early life. A short time later, Columbus State held a 7-4 lead, but Owens reeled off six straight points. True to the set, though, Columbus State rallied for three straight to tie it up.
At that point, Owens rallied for five straight points and never trailed again in the set.. The third of three kills in the set from Purcell gave Owens a 20-15 lead a short time later and back-to-back blocks from Christine Tylutki (Monroe/Monroe, Mich.) and Annie Lindeman (Ottoville/Ottoville, Ohio) gave Owens a 25-20 win.
The third set opened up with a trio of kills from Hartings (2) and Lindeman to give Owens an early 4-1 lead. Following that, Owens was a little sluggish, which allowed Columbus State to take a 10-9 lead.
Following the first timeout of the match by Owens, Columbus State started a 5-0 rally by Owens with a serve into the net. The rally forced a Columbus State timeout, but Reigelsperger took over a short time later. The sophomore middle blocker had several of her seven kills in the third set during a rally that gave Owens a 19-13 lead.
Moments later, Hartings produced one of her five third set kills and Ally Mikesell (St. Henry/St. Henry, Ohio) followed with an ace to put Owens up 23-16 and force a final Columbus State timeout.
An overpass kill from Reigelsperger and a right side kill from Hartings ended the match a short time later with a 25-18 third set win.
Reigelsperger (12), Hartings (11) and Purcell (9) led the team in kills. The trio combined for 32 kills on only two errors over 57 chances for a .526 hitting percentage.
Deanna Smith (Riverview/Riverview, Mich.) and Tylutki led the team in assists with 14 and 13, respectively. Brooke Gyori (Clay/Oregon, Ohio) led the team with three aces and 12 digs, while Tylutki and Mikesell each added 10 digs. Reigelsperger chipped in eight digs, as well.
Lindeman and Reigelsperger each led the team with two blocks.
Owens is now 12-3 overall and 5-0 in Ohio Community College Athletic Conference (OCCAC) play. They will now get a showdown with the only other undefeated team in the conference, Lakeland Community College, on the road Wednesday at 5 p.m. Following that, the team will travel to Parkland, Ill. for the Parkland Invitational next weekend. The team won't return home until Sept. 30 against Sinclair Community College.
Columbus State falls to 6-5 overall and 1-2 in OCCAC play with the loss.