VOLLEYBALL VS. ONU
The Bluffton University volleyball team battled Ohio Northern in three tight sets, but the visiting Polar Bears walked away winners on Sept. 14. Bluffton fell to 5-4 on the season, while ONU improved to 6-2.
Freshman Jenna Woods (DeGraff/Riverside) was nearly unstoppable with eight kills against just one error for a .389 hitting percentage. Alysha Like (McComb) added eight hammers, while Kaylie Campbell (Camden/Preble Shawnee) smacked seven kills with a .300 hitting percentage.
Maddie White (Ashland) stuffed the stat sheet with six kills, no errors, 22 assists, seven digs and three aces while attacking at a .429 clip. Like was in on three blocks and Lindsey Shaw (Findlay/Van Buren) led the back line with 10 digs.
Bluffton heads to Buffalo State for the Bengal Challenge this weekend. The Beavers match up with Pitt-Greensburg at 6 p.m. on Friday, Sept. 16, before meeting the host school and Alfred on Saturday.
MEN'S SOCCER: 1-0 LOSS TO TRINE
The Bluffton women's soccer team dropped a 1-0 decision to visiting Trine University in a battle of heavyweights on Sept. 14. The Beavers stand 1-1-2 after a close loss to the 2021 MIAA champion Thunder. Trine upped its season mark to 4-1 on Wednesday night.
It was a stalemate through the first half as Bluffton piled up a 12-4 advantage in shots, but neither team was able to dent the scoreboard. That changed midway through the second half when Evan Komrska found the back of the net in minute 67. That put a wrap on the scoring as the Thunder won their fourth straight match.
Senior Dalton Taynor (Troy/Miami East) pelted the Thunder with five shots, while junior Elijah Zimmerman (Archbold) fired three, including two on frame.
Sophomore net-minder Angel Velasco-Urbina (Lexington, Ky./Henry Clay) picked up four saves.
Bluffton finished with a 15-11 advantage in shots and the Beavers forced all six corner kicks. Trine was whistled for 10 more fouls (21-11) than the home team.
The men will travel to Pennsylvania for back-to-back matches this weekend. Bluffton hooks up with Pitt-Greensburg at 4 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 17, before heading down the road to LaRoche at 1 p.m. on Sunday.
