Spartans put up fight, but DC comes away with 3-0 victory

DEFIANCE, Ohio – The midweek matchup with the Manchester Spartans wasn't as easy as many had figured it would have been, but the Yellow Jackets volleyball team got the job done with a 3-0 win on Wednesday, October 16. DC improves to 17-5 (4-0 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference), while the Spartans fall to 4-16 (0-5 HCAC).

Play by the Purple and Gold was shaky at first, as Manchester came out with a purpose and went up 6-2 early in the first set. However, the home team finally found its groove and went on a 12-4 run that was capped off by back-to-back aces from senior Christa Seidenstricker (Plain City, Ohio/Jonathan Alder).

Defiance gradually pulled away from the Spartans and managed to take set one by a score of 25-18. Seidenstricker joined seniors Chelsea Ludeman (Napoleon, Ohio/Napoleon) and Lexy Pierce (Wauseon, Ohio/Wauseon) with three kills apiece in the set.

The Yellow Jackets got off to a slightly better start in set two, but Manchester was hanging in there early on at 10-8 DC. Ludeman then notched a kill and got into a rhythm serving to run off six-straight points for Defiance that made the score 16-8.

The resilient Spartans would not go away though, as they kept fighting for every point and slowly cut the deficit to a slim 20-17 Jacket advantage. Fortunately, DC used three Manchester miscues and a pair of kills from Ludeman and Pierce to take set two 25-21.

With the gears finally starting to click for the Purple and Gold, it dominated the third and final set 25-11. Defiance used two separate spurts of four-straight points, along with a six-point run to grow a big 19-8 advantage before coming away with the shutout win.

"We were due for a game like this," stated head coach Brie Brenner after the game. "I think we have just played such a high-level of volleyball for so many weeks and tonight we hit a lull. But we have now got this one out of our system and will be in the gym tomorrow getting back to basics and prepping for a really good team in Franklin on Friday."

The 3-0 victory over the visiting Spartans was the Jackets eighth shutout of the season. DC still sits atop the HCAC with a perfect 4-0 mark and has dropped only two sets total in the four matches.

Leading the Purple and Gold for the night was Ludeman with 11 kills that gives her 335 for the season, which is a new career high. However, Alicia Kalik (South Lyon, Mich./South Lyon) had the best night all-around for DC, as she accounted for a team-leading 31 assists and 12 digs, to go along with five kills on nine total attacks with zero errors.

Defiance will have tomorrow off before returning to the court Friday, October 18. The Yellow Jackets will be facing-off against the Franklin Grizzlies in HCAC action and the match is slated to begin at 3 pm in the Weaner Center.