WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Marietta College volleyball team had to take on the OAC-leading, #15-ranked Otterbein University in a road contest Wednesday (Oct. 8) evening and came away with a tough win over the Cardinals 3-1 (30-28, 17-25, 26-24, 25-21).  With the win, the Pioneers improve to 11-4 overall and 2-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference and with the loss the Cardinals fall to 15-2 overall and 1-1 in OAC play.  
 
"Tonight was a complete team win," said Marietta head coach Kristy Anderson. "The girls followed the game plan and trusted each other tonight! I am so proud of them!"
 
Marietta spotted the Cardinals with three points off of errors to start set one, but Jillian Fellers (Alliance, Ohio/Marlington) brought the Pioneers back with a trio of kills to put the score at a seven-all tie.  Marietta than went on a four-point rally to take their first lead of the contest.  Later in the match, Marietta led 20-16 after a service ace from Emory Spitler (Lebanon, Ohio/Lebanon), but Otterbein would fight back.  The Cardinals would take five of the next six possessions, two off of kills from Brooke Barb, to tie the contest at 21-21.  Otterbein then got a kill and block to lead by two, but Emily Piehler's (Medina, Ohio/Medina) kill stopped the mini rally.  After a Pioneer service error put the score at set point, Piehler once again answered with a kill.  Both teams traded the next several possessions, but Marietta finally claimed victory after Karly Launder (Pleasant City, Ohio/Meadowbrook) dropped a kill and followed with a service ace to give the Pioneers a 30-28 set one victory.  

Both teams got off to a 3-all start in set two, but Otterbein inched ahead with kills from Lexi Scott and Chandler Crowell to lead 10-6.  Marietta came back to take the lead with some front line firepower, getting three blocks from Karley Allwood (Wadsworth, Ohio/Wadsworth).  Later, Otterbein scored four straight, two off of aces from Emma Steiger, and Otterbein was suddenly back in the lead.  Marietta stayed close but could not overcome the advantage.  Scott powered four more kills for the Cardinals and they would go on to take set two, 25-17.

The two teams remained close in the third set until the Pioneers strung together a three-point rally, two from kills by Fellers, to give them the biggest lead of the set at that time, 15-12.  Later, Otterbein once again fought back and tied the match with another kill from Scott.  They then took advantage of Pioneer attack errors to get back to a 21-19 advantage.  Despite Marietta keeping the score close, the Cardinals still managed to put the score at set point as Maddie Mergen dropped a kill on the Pioneers.  Fellers answered with a kill and a co-block with AnnaBelle Hacker (Centerville, Ohio/Alter) to take back the lead.  Keira Shannon's (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah Community) ace clinched the comeback victory as Marietta took set three, 26-24. 
 
Both teams jumped out to a 9-all tie to begin set four, but the Pioneers started to take control.  Marietta would take five straight, two from aces by Spitler, to take the lead and then extended the lead further as Fellers and Piehler each brought another pair of kills, giving Marietta a 21-11 lead.  Otterbein was able to take a couple of points back late, but could not complete the comeback.  Marietta would go on to take the 25-16 set four victory, claiming the important conference win.

The Pioneer attack was led by Fellers with 20 kills and she also contributed 12 digs on the defensive side. Launder ended with 11 kills.  Allwood led the Pioneers with nines crucial blocks.  Piehler added eight blocks to go along with her eight kills.  Hacker contributed six more to the block party.  Spitler collected 38 assists and 17 digs on the evening and, defensively, Marietta was led by Keira Shannon (Roscoe, Ill./Hononegah Community) with 23 digs.

The Pioneers will head to Heidelberg on Saturday (Oct. 11) to battle the Student Princes, with the match scheduled to begin at 1 p.m.   

Fans can follow all the Pioneer teams all year long at pioneers.marietta.edu. You can also follow the Pioneers on Facebook at facebook.com/MariettaCollege and @MariettaPioneer on X and Instagram.