Tigers Bounce Back For Big Win Over Bluffton In Opening Round

After Beavers rallied for first set victory, Wittenberg gets back on track, starts NCAA Division III Tournament with 3-1 win.

The Tigers rallied for a 3-1 win over Bluffton in the NCAA Division III first round. Photo by Britney Bridges
The Tigers rallied for a 3-1 win over Bluffton in the NCAA Division III first round. Photo by Britney Bridges
November 13, 2015
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HUNTINGDON, Pa. - Perhaps it was just the wake-up call that the Wittenberg Tigers needed. Stunned in the first set by a late Bluffton rally, the Tigers responded with a dominating three-set run to secure the victory and advance to a second-round date against Heidelberg.

Ranked sixth in the latest American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) NCAA Division III poll, Wittenberg won its 10th straight match by a 3-1 margin over Bluffton, champion of the Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference. The win pushed the Tigers to 25-2 overall, while the Beavers saw their season end at 19-13.

Bluffton may not have advanced, but the Beavers certainly threw a scare into Wittenberg after scoring seven straight points in the first set to turn an 18-17 deficit into a 24-18 lead. After the Tigers scored two points, Bluffton closed out the set 25-20.

After attacking at a .067 percentage in the first set, Wittenberg got its offense on track with 44 kills against just 10 errors over the final three sets. The Tigers were particularly efficient in the third frame with 15 kills against just one error for a stunning .560 attack percentage.

Individually, the Tigers were paced by senior Kara Seidenstricker (London, Ohio/Jonathan Alder) with 12 kills, while senior Melissa Emming (West Chester, Ohio/Mount Notre Dame) added nine and the junior tandem of Kendall Farmer (Gurnee, Ill./Warren Township) and Camila Quiñones (Sunbury, Ohio/Worthington Christian) finished with eight kills apiece. Quinones was particularly effective with a .538 attack percentage.

The defense was led by junior Emily Kahlig (Coldwater, Ohio/Coldwater) with six blocks and senior Kristina Fultz (Batavia, Ohio/Glen Este) with 16 digs. Also of note was the play of junior setter Courtney Huck (Decatur, Ill./St. Teresa) with 24 assists.

Wittenberg's next opponent is Heidelberg, champion of the Ohio Athletic Conference. The Tigers defeated the Student Princes 3-1 during the regular season.

Written By: Ryan Maurer