SPRINGFIELD, Ohio – The Wittenberg volleyball team put the finishing touches on a fine opening weekend to the 2012 season, picking up two more victories in the Courtyard by Marriott Wittenberg National Invitational.
The wins, by a 3-0 score over Whitworth and a 3-1 score over Trinity (Texas), moved the Tigers to 3-0 on the young season. Wittenberg opened the season with a 3-1 win over Wartburg on Friday.
Wartburg finished 2-1 on the weekend, bouncing back from the loss to Wittenberg to defeat both Trinity and Whitworth by 3-0 scores. Whitworth finished 1-2, with its lone victory coming on Friday against Trinity, which opened the season ranked 24th nationally by the American Volleyball Coaches Association.
Wittenberg, ranked No. 5 in the preseason poll, dominated six of the seven sets it played on Saturday, with a lone hiccup coming in the second set against Trinity. The strong showing despite the presence of five new starters after winning the 2011 national championship gives Wittenberg momentum heading into perhaps its two most challenging weekends of regular season competition – Sept. 7-8 at Juniata and Sept. 14-15 in the Wittenberg Fall Classic.
Against Whitworth, the Tigers romped by scores of 25-13, 25-17 and 25-16. Junior Andrea Behling (Columbus, Ind./North) and freshman Kara Seidenstricker (London, Ohio/Jonathan Alder) shared team honors in kills with seven apiece, while freshman Melissa Emming (West Chester, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) was solid as well with six balls knocked to the floor. A total of 33 assists were distributed by the setting tandem of sophomore Meghan Vodopich (Canton, Ohio/Perry) and senior Hallie Donathan (Tipp City, Ohio/Tippecanoe).
Defensively, senior libero Christina Gilene (Milford, Ohio/McNicholas) finished with 16 digs and Seidenstricker added 13, while freshman Haley Mucha (Lewis Center, Ohio/Olentangy Orange) topped the Tigers in blocks with three.
The Trinity win was earned by scores of 25-18, 22-25, 25-13, 25-15 as Seidenstricker pounded 20 kills and brought up 14 digs. She was backed by strong performances from senior Jessica Batanian (Toledo, Ohio/Notre Dame) with 12 kills and 15 digs, and Behling, who contributed 10 kills and team-best four blocks. Gilene finished with 15 digs, while Emming added 12.
2012 Courtyard by Marriott Wittenberg National Invitational All-Tournament Team:
Meredith Erwin and Layne Hubbard - Trinity
Nicole Leonard and Jalana White - Whitworth
Britlyn Seick and Ramey Seick – Wartburg
Kara Seidenstricker and Jessica Batanian - Wittenberg