MARIETTA, OH – Showing some true grit, the Wittenberg Tiger women's volleyball team came out fighting and gave the No. 11-ranked Marietta Pioneers a scare on their home floor at Ban Johnson Arena in a non-conference matchup. The Pioneers, ranked in the American Volleyball Coaches Association/Taraflex Top-25 poll for the first time in program history, are among just three undefeated teams in all of NCAA Division III.

Wittenberg came out of the gate strong, taking the first two sets 25-22 and 25-23. Marietta returned the favor by winning the next two sets, 25-14 and 25-12. After trading points throughout the final set, Marietta pulled away late for a 15-10 win in the decisive fifth set and a 3-2 victory. Marietta's win snaps a six-match winning streak for the Tigers, who drop to 11-7 overall and 2-1 in the North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC). Marietta improves to 16-0 overall and 3-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC), good for first place.

Stats for both teams in this exciting matchup were very close. Wittenberg posted 52 kills, 199 total attacks, 48 assists, 10 block assists, 84 digs, and six service aces. Marietta recorded 54 kills, 182 total attacks, 51 assists, 16 block assists, 88 digs, and 11 service aces.

Piper Ricketts (Morrow, OH / Little Miami) has been a force of late for Witt and again led the Tigers in kills with 13 while also scoring a team-high 14.5 points and adding nine digs. Sam Fincham (Springfield, OH / Kenton Ridge) added 10 kills, as did Kait Colahan (Vermilion, OH / Vermilion), who also tallied 12.5 points and two service aces. Ava Golem (Kirtland, OH / Kirtland) led the team in digs with 19, while Ally White (Harrison, OH / Harrison) and Cam Colahan (Vermilion, OH / Vermilion) each recorded 15. Mary Sulfridge (South Charleston, OH / Southeastern) led the team in assists with 32.

The Pioneers were led by Mia Silva with 14 and 15 total points; Maggie Fellers added 13 kills and scored a team-high 16.5 points. Jillian Fellers had 11 kills. Emory Spitler led the team in assists with 49 and Keira Shannon recorded a team-high 27 digs and four service aces.

In the series with Marietta that dates back to 1979, the Tigers trail 12-11. Wittenberg had won eight straight matches between the two teams, dating back to 1992, including a 3-0 decision last year in Springfield.

The Tigers returns to North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) action on Wednesday, Oct. 23, when they travel to DePauw for a 7 p.m. match. The last time DePauw and Wittenberg squared off in Greencastle, Indiana, the visiting Tigers stunned the host Tigers by scoring the last six points of the match to steal the 2023 NCAC Tournament championship match in dramatic fashion.