ADRIAN, Mich. -- Junior Janel Ruhlman (North Branch, Mich.) tallied 15 kills (.243) and 11 digs to help lead the Siena Heights women's volleyball team (2-0, 2-0 WHAC) to its second five-set victory in as many days. Freshmen Samantha Getson (Morenci, Mich.) and Kadie Carsten (Ida, Mich.) got their first collegiate starts on the day.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Siena Heights 3, UNOH 2 (27-25, 21-25, 25-20, 23-25, 15-12)
Location: Adrian, Michigan (SHU Fieldhouse)
Records: Siena Heights (2-0, 2-0 WHAC), UNOH (1-5, 1-3 WHAC)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The first set was tight as the score was tied 11 times. Ruhlman received a pass from Aubrey Bates (Grand Haven, Mich.) and recorded a kill to tie the game at 24 and extend the opening set. Northwestern Ohio retook the lead with a kill in response, before Ruhlman struck again to knot things up at 25. A kill by Katelyn Ferris (Burton, Mich.) gave the Saints a set-point situation and the Racers couldn't rally back.
The Saints spotted UNOH with two points at the start of the second to trail 3-0. The Racers extended the lead to 7-1 with a 4-0 run. Siena Heights clawed back to cut the deficit to 8-6 but another 4-0 run by UNOH showed a six-point spread, 12-6. The Racer lead was cut to four points, 14-10, but the Saints couldn't come closer to tying before the end of the set.
Much like the second set, the third started with a 3-0 UNOH lead that was eventually a 14-10 advantage for the visitors. The difference this time was a 6-0 run by SHU that gave the Saints a 20-11 lead. The Racers responded with a 5-0 run to bring the score to 20-16, but Siena put the set away 25-20 and took a 2-1 lead.
The fourth was close with multiple ties and lead changes. Aline Marinelo (Brazil) capped a 3-0 run for the Saints that deadlocked the score at 23. An attack error by the Saints followed by a service ace for the Racers gave the set to UNOH and forced a fifth set.
With a 7-7 tie in the fifth, Ruhlman tallied two service aces to help lead Siena Heights to a 12-7 lead. The Racers got within one point of tying, 13-12, but the Getson finished things with two kills to give the blue and yellow a 2-0 start on the season.
TOP SAINTS
• Ruhlman finished with a .243 hitting percentage, one assist, and one block.
• Getson tallied 15 kills, four digs, one assist, and a block.
• Bates finished with 47 assists, six service aces, four kills, and 14 digs. Her assist and dig totals gave her back-to-back double-doubles to start her career.
• Carsten totaled 19 digs, two aces, and one assist in her first career start.
• Ferris had three kills, five digs, and a team-high seven blocks.
• Marinelo recorded 13 kills, three digs, and four blocks.
THE OPPOSITION
• Aailyah Alexis led the Racers with 20 kills. Taylor Reust and Jessica Schaad each had 12 kills.
• Aubree Ricketts led the defense with 27 digs and Hanna Miller set the pace with 43 assists.
UP NEXT
The Saints travel to face Rochester in their third Wolverine-Hoosier Athletic Conference (WHAC) match of the season. That match is scheduled for Tuesday, February 16 at 7:00 p.m., EST.
