Photo Courtesy of Mark Campbell

Boxscore

ATHENS, Ohio. –Despite finding early success against Ohio, the University of Delaware volleyball team could not pull out a victory as the Blue Hens fell to the Bobcats, 3-1 (16-25, 25-22, 25-17, 25-20), at the OU Convocation Center on Saturday evening during the Hampton Inn Invitational.

Led by Katie Dennehy, who posted 21 kills for her third consecutive double-digit kill performance, Delaware (4-5) captured the first set of the match, but Ohio (7-2) answered by taking the next three on the way to the victory.

The Blue Hens never trailed in the opening set despite a seesaw battle in the beginning. Dennehy notched a kill and teamed with Paige Erickson on a block to help the squad fight to a 4-4 tie. After that point, Delaware took off. Using a four-point run, headlined by three Bobcat errors and another Dennehy block, the Hens secured an 8-4 advantage.

Following an Ohio timeout, the hosts took the next two rallies, but the Delaware lead was never really in danger. Another block and kill by Dennehy, along with back-to-back blasts from Erickson, helped the Hens extend their edge to seven at 15-8.

After the Bobcats called for another stoppage, the squad momentarily regrouped. OU took five of the next six rallies to pull back within three at 16-13. Despite the scare, Delaware looked confident. A stuff by LaLonde snapped the Ohio streak before shots by Stewart and Chason helped the squad earn a 20-13 lead.

Eventually, behind a flurry of Bobcat miscues and a blast off the right-hand of Kim Stewart, Delaware walked away with a 25-16 victory in the first set.

The Hens looked primed to keep pressure on the hosts when the squad got off to another strong start in the second set. A pair of kills by Alissa Alker, another slam by Dennehy, and a screaming ace by Stewart allowed the team to pull out to an 8-4 lead.

A 6-3 run helped the Bobcats pull back within one, but three kills by Stewart and a shot from Erickson gave the Hens a three-point edge at 16-13. Unfortunately, after that point, the tide began to turn in favor of OU.

Ohio captured the next five rallies, aided by two Bobcat blocks, to grab an 18-16 lead heading into a Delaware timeout. Although Dennehy ripped a shot after the break, Ohio answered with a three-point roll to secure at 21-17 advantage.

Another Dennehy kill and an Erickson block eventually brought Delaware back within one, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit. Sue Jacobi punched back-to-back kills, and despite an ace from Kelly Gibson, a block by Jane Sytsma and Katie Post sealed the 25-22 victory for Ohio.

As they had all day, Delaware got off to another strong start in the third set. A trio of quick kills by Dennehy led the squad to a 3-1 lead out of the chute. Unimpressed by the early effort, Ohio took the next five rallies.

Although Delaware won three of the next four battles, the Bobcat attack proved to be too much in the middle of the set. Meghan Simmons chalked up two kills and a pair of blocks to give OU a commanding 18-12 lead. Eventually, the squad built on its advantage, aided by four late kills from Ellen Herman, to capture a 25-17 victory.

Trailing by a set, the Hens got off to an uncharacteristically slow start in the fourth. After seven rallies, Delaware found itself trailing by three at 5-2. Fittingly, it was Dennehy who eventually led the team back into the game. The junior standout blasted a kill and teamed with LaLonde on a block to pull the squad even at seven.

Later, three more kills by Dennehy and an ace from Steph Barry helped Delaware pull out to a respectable 13-9 advantage. Unfortunately, Ohio came back.

Highlighted by five kills from Herman, the Bobcats bounced back from their deficit to grab a 20-17 lead. Although Alker did her best to keep the Hens in the set, slamming three late kills, her efforts could not overcome the final push by Ohio. Eventually, a kill and block by Post led OU to a 25-20 win in the final set of the match.

Along with Dennehy’s fantastic performance, Alker and Stewart also added 10 kills each. Steph Barry posted a match-high 20 digs for the Hens as well.

The Bobcats, who advanced to the 2008 NCAA Tournament, were led by Ellen Herman, who hit .328 while notching 25 kills and 15 digs. Michelle Jantsch also had 40 assists for the victors.

Delaware will return to action on Friday when the squad hosts North Carolina in a special non-conference match at the Bob Carpenter Center at 7 p.m.