Sixth-Ranked Tigers Take A Pair At Bluffton Tri-Match

Emily Kahlig and the Tigers swept Bluffton and Transylvania in non-conference action. File Photo | Erin Pence
Emily Kahlig and the Tigers swept Bluffton and Transylvania in non-conference action. File Photo | Erin Pence

BLUFFTON, Ohio - The sixth-ranked Wittenberg Tigers made short work of a pair of Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference opponents with 3-0 sweeps over Bluffton and Transylvania in a tri-match hosted by the Beavers.

The wins moved the Tigers to 11-3 on the season. It was Wittenberg's fifth straight victory.

Wittenberg started the day with a comfortable win over Transylvania by set scores of 25-20, 25-8 and 25-11. Junior Kara Seidenstricker (London, Ohio/Jonathan Alder) led the way with 14 kills on just 28 swings, good for a .393 attack percentage. She also contributed three assists, three service aces and five digs.

Senior setter Meghan Vodopich (Canton, Ohio/Massillon Perry) dished out 17 assists to go along with nine digs. The Tigers piled up 11 blocks, led by sophomore Kendall Farmer (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) with six and junior Bryanna Jay (Girard, Ohio/Girard) with three.

The day concluded with a re-match from the 2013 NCAA Division III Tournament as Wittenberg and Bluffton squared off. Much like the result from the national competition, the Tigers cruised to a 3-0 win by set scores of 25-9, 25-17 and 25-16.

Seidenstricker was again the only Tiger in double figures for kills as she pounded 10 in the match, in addition to three assists, four service aces, four digs and four blocks. Junior Kristina Fultz (Batavia, Ohio/Glen Este) added eight kills and nine digs, and Vodopich chipped in with five kills, six digs and 24 assists.

Defensively, senior libero Kiah Murray (Yorktown, Ind./Yorktown) led with 11 digs, while Farmer matched Seidenstricker's total of four blocks.

Written By: Ryan Maurer