PORTSMOUTH, Ohio (Volleyball) – Shawnee State seemed to be in complete control of a Thursday night contest versus Northwestern Ohio, but let a 2-0 lead slip away, as the Bears fell to the Racers, 3-2, to open Alumni Weekend at Waller Gymnasium.
SSU controlled the opening set from the get-go, jumping out to a 6-2 lead by capitalizing on four attack errors from the Racers. UNOH fought back into the contest, pushing as close as 15-14.
The Bears followed with a 5-1 run to take complete command. Again, it was more attack errors from the Racers, who hit a negative percentage in the set. Tiffany Jackson (SR/Williamstown, N.J.) hammered home the final kill of the set to give the Bears a 25-18 victory.
Shawnee State put together its most complete performance of the match in the second set, en route to a 25-19 win. Lauren Helbig (SO/Mansfield, Ohio) and Kristi Humble (SR/West Jefferson, Ohio) led the way to a .349 attack percentage.
Helbig, Humble and Christina Shelton (SO/West Union, Ohio) combined for five straight kills midway through the set, putting it out of reach at 12-5. The Racers never got closer than four points, as the Bears cruised to the win, seemingly heading toward a straight set win.
It was in the third set that the winds began to shift in favor of Northwestern Ohio. The two squads remained close throughout the set, with neither team extending t a lead larger than four. The set featured 12 ties and eight lead changes. But the real story was told in the numbers, as UNOH hit .333 compared to .143 from SSU.
The fourth set featured more tight play, though the Racers continued to build momentum. After falling behind at 4-3, Shawnee State never again managed to recapture a lead. UNOH forced a fifth set with a 25-22 win.
Shawnee State headed into the final set down but not out, jumping out to a 7-4 lead to force a Northwestern Ohio timeout. Three straight kills from Paige Zelich (SR/Grove City, Ohio), Shelton and Jackson broke a 4-4 lock.
But once again, the Racers were determined not to call it quits. Trailing 12-8, UNOH closed the match on a 7-1 run, to take the set and the match.
Jackson led the way for SSU statistically, recording 13 kills with a .333 attack percentage. Helbig added 12 kills with a .385 percentage. Humble and Zelich each added double-figure kills with 10.
Madison Smith (JR/Orrville, Ohio) controlled the back line for the Bears, with 26 digs, while Devan Scarberry (SR/Franklin Furnace, Ohio) added 21 assists.
There will be no rest for the weary for the home squad, who take on the University of Rio Grande at 5 p.m. on Friday as part of a two-court, four-match night at Waller Gymnasium. The Bears will then play a pair of matches Saturday versus Montreat College and Kentucky Christian.
