SURPRISE, Ariz. - The Ottawa University Arizona women's volleyball team came back on Wednesday evening to defeat the Arizona Christian University Firestorm by a final of 3-1 on the campus of Valley Vista High School. Final scores were: 14-25, 25-15, 25-23, and 26-24.
With the victory, the Spirit improve to 6-8 overall. With the loss, Arizona Christian University falls to 9-10 on the season.
The Arizona Christian Firestorm jumped out to an early lead in the first set at 11-4, when the Spirit made their first come back of the evening to bring the score to 13-10. The Firestorm pushed ahead with an ace and strong offense to win the first set 25-14.
In the second set, the Spirit hung with the Firestorm through 5-5 and then made their push ahead following a well-timed ace from Halei Sanders(FR/Peoria, AZ). OUAZ went on to keep their lead and finish the game 25-15. The third set started similarly to the second, with both teams battling for the lead. The Firestorm took control keeping the lead until 16-16 when the Spirit came from behind and broke ahead to win the game 25-23. Game four seemed to belong to the Firestorm, breaking away early to a 9-1 lead, but OUAZ had come from behind before in this match and didn't break down. They came back and tied the score 15-15 and pushed ahead forcing errors for the Firestorm. The teams battled back-and-forth, tying the game again at 24-24 until a kill by Nicole Newman(FR/Avondale, AZ) and a hitting error by the Firestorm sealed the set and the win for the Spirit.
The Spirit were led in kills for the match by Nicole Newman with 13. Both Kylie Greenway (SO/Riverside, CA) and Jessica Youngberg(JR/Peoria, AZ) both finished with 10 kills each. Youngberg also led her team in assists with 18 folowed by Breelle Lugo (SO/Tempe, AZ) with 15. Kelsey Marchant (JR/Powell, WY) had 18 digs for the match and Gilly Muniz (SO/Westminster, CO) had two solo blocks. Kelsey Marchant and serving specialist Halei Sanders each had three service aces for the match. In total the Spirit had 10 service aces to ACU's three.
The Spirit return to action this Friday October 6th, when they travel to Embry-Riddle (AZ) University in Prescott, Arizona. Friday's game is set to start at 7:00pm.
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About Ottawa University
Founded in 1865, Ottawa University prepares professional and liberal arts graduates for lifetimes of personal significance, vocational fulfillment and service to God and humanity within a Christ-inspired community of grace and open inquiry. Ottawa University is a comprehensive, not-for-profit educational institution serving 3,000 students through its residential campuses in Ottawa, Kan., and Surprise, Ariz., and adult campuses in Overland Park, Kan.; Phoenix, Queen Creek and Surprise, Ariz.; Brookfield, Wis.; Jeffersonville, Ind.; as well as online. For more information, visit www.ottawa.edu.
For more information about OUAZ athletics, visit http://www.ottawa.edu/ouaz/athletics. Follow OUAZ athletics on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/OUAZSpiritAthletics/ and on Twitter twitter.com/OUAZSpirit.
