ROCHESTER, N.Y.—The No. 8 Heidelberg University volleyball team wrapped up play at the Purple & Gold Invitational in Rochester, N.Y. today by winning its third and fourth matches of the weekend, sweeping host Nazareth (N.Y.) College, 3-0 (25-14, 25-18, 25-13), and Wisconsin – Oshkosh, (25-23, 25-20, 25-21). The ‘Berg also claimed sweeps over Medaille (N.Y.) College and SUNY Geneseo last night.
The wins improve Heidelberg to 18-2 overall.
Against Nazareth, senior second-team All-OAC outside hitter Venessa Haase (Miamisburg) led the offensive charge with a match-high 10 kills and hit .529 overall. Guiding the offense were junior setter Rachel Ferguson (Brighton, Mich./Brighton) and sophomore setter Alexa Frank (Tiffin/Calvert) with a match-high-tying 19 assists and 12 assists, respectively.
Defensively, freshman libero Tessa Benanzer (Fort Loramie) racked up a match-high-tying 14 digs, while senior reigning OAC player of the year Jackie Reinhart (New Riegel) added 11 saves of her own. Street had two block assists.
Against Oshkosh, four student-athletes totaled eight or more kills, led by junior second-team All-OAC outside hitter Marian Bevington (Celina/Parkway) and Street with nine each, and sophomore middle hitter Amber Welfle (Norwalk/St. Paul) and Haase with eight apiece. Ferguson again led the offense with 23 assists and was backed by Frank with 13.
Reinhart’s 16 digs and Haase’s 12 led a defensive outing that saw a quintet of student-athletes tally five or more digs. Welfle and Bevington led with four blocks.
The Berg returns to Tiffin for a Tuesday match with non-conference foe Bluffton College at Seiberling Gymnasium at 7 p.m. Live stats for that game will be available at the following URL: http://www.heidelberg.edu/statcrew/vb/xlive.htm.