By Nicholas Huenefeld/Owens Sports Information
Phoenix, Ariz.---Macy Reigelsperger (Coldwater/Coldwater, Ohio) and Erika Hartings (Coldwater/Coldwater, Ohio) both reached milestones today as the duo helped the No. 9 Owens Community College women's volleyball team defeat Northeastern Oklahoma A&M College in the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA) Division II National Tournament consolation bracket.
With the 27-25, 25-20, 18-25, 25-17 win, Owens finishes the season 40-8 overall and earned a ninth place finish at the tournament. NEO finished the season 27-5.
Reigelsperger, who entered today needing 16 kills to break the single season record held by Dakia Sellers (2012, 618), notched 20. She finished the season with 623. Furthermore, she finished her two-year career with 1,123 kills, which was just six short of tying the career record held by Stephanie Champine (2006-07).
Hartings, meanwhile, needed 14 kills today to reach 1,000 in her career. She finished with 19 and closed her career with 1,005.
Reigelsperger and Hartings are the first set of Owens teammates to both record at least 1,000 career kills. While Reigelsperger is second on the career kills list, Hartings finishes fourth on the list - just behind Brittany Egbert's (2010-11) 1,016. Only four players in program history have at 1,000 career kills.
Ally Mikesell (St. Henry/St. Henry, Ohio) finished third on the team in kills today with six, while adding a team-high 29 digs, one ace and three blocks.
Deanna Smith (Riverview/Riverview, Mich.) led the team with 47 assists, and Samantha Reer (St. Paul/Norwalk, Ohio) led the way in aces with two.
Smith finished her career with 1,740 assists, which is the program's seventh best career total.
Aside from Mikesell's 29 digs, Brooke Gyori (Clay/Oregon, Ohio) added 28, Miranda Johnson (Whiteford/Ottawa Lake, Mich.) had 14, Smith had 11 and Reigelsperger had 10.
Gyori finished her freshman year with 942 digs, which is the fourth most in a single season.
Reigelsperger and Taylor Purcell (Bedford/Temperance, Mich.) led the team in blocks with four each (one solo apiece).
This year's win total is the sixth time in program history, and first since 2011, that Owens has reached at least 40 wins in a season.
Notes
Following the tournament's conclusion, Reigelsperger was named to the NJCAA Division II All-National Tournament team. She is the first player from Owens to earn that honor since Dakia Sellers in 2012.
The Owens volleyball team was awarded the NJCAA Sportsmanship Award for outstanding conduct at the NJCAA Division II National Tournament.