Volleyball:  OAC Tournament

2007 OAC Volleyball Tournament

October 30-November 3, 2007

                   Austintown, Ohio- The 2007 Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) Volleyball Tournament will feature the top eight teams in the Conference with the quarterfinals beginning on Tuesday, October 30 and running through Saturday, November 3.

     Ohio Northern made a clean sweep of the OAC (9-0) to claim it’s eight consecutive Conference title and earn the top seed in the tournament for the 16th time overall. The Polar Bears have appeared in every tournament since its inception in 1984, with a 45-8 record and have won an OAC record 15 tournament titles.

    ONU has been led the sophomore middle hitter Liz Schnelle (New Breman). Schnelle leads the team with 4.48 kills per game and has hit .337 on the season. Senior outside hitter Laura Vuyk (Oregon/Toledo Central Catholic) has added 3.22 kills-per-game and 3.71 digs-per-game and junior setter Katie Weininger (Sycamore/Mohawk) leads the team with 13.21 assists-per-game.

    The Polar Bear’s will host the eighth seed, Marietta (2-7). With a win in the quarterfinals, ONU will host the OAC Tournament semifinals on Friday, November 2 and the finals on Saturday, November 3.

                  Marietta, the eighth seed, will be making its 13th appearance in the OAC Tournament with a 5-12 record. Leading the Pioneers had been seniors right-side hitter Paige William (Richmond, Ind.) with 2.71 kills-per-game and defensive specialist Casey Davis (Amanda/Amanda Clearcreek) with 6.27 assists-per-game.

                  Mount Union finished the season at 8-1, to earn the number two seed and will host the seventh seed, John Carroll. The Purple Raiders will be making their 11th straight appearance in the OAC Tournament and 18th overall with a 10-17 record.

Leading the Raiders this season has been outside hitters sophomore Melissa Mahnke (N. Royalton) with 4.12 kills-per-game, along with senior Amanda Kohler (Uniontown/N. Canton Hoover) with 4.24 digs-per-game.

                  John Carroll (3-6), the seventh seed, will be making its 12th overall appearance in the tournament with an 8-10 record.  Junior right-side hitter Megan Gambone (Uniontown/Archbishop Hoban) has been leading the Blue Streaks with 3.49 kills-per-game and has hit .354 on the season, along with freshman setter Meredith McDirmid (Strongsville/St. Joseph) with 10.71 assists-per-game.

                  Heidelberg (7-2) will enter this year’s tournament at the third seed and will host the sixth seed, Muskingum. The Student Princes will be making their 15th overall appearance in the tournament with a 0-14 record.

Leading the way will be junior middle hitter Emily Hurlbert (St. Mary’s/Memorial) with 2.80 kills-per-game and has hit .339 on the season, along with sophomore setter Morgan Magers (Greenspring/Old Fort) with 10.49 assists-per-game and 2.58 digs-per-game.

                   Muskingum (4-5), will be making its 22nd overall, sixteenth consecutive appearance in the OAC Tournament with a 26-16 record.   As the number seven seed in 2006, the Muskies advanced to the finals, where they fall to Ohio Northern, 3-0.

      Leading the Muskies this season has been junior middle hitter Jessica McKenzie (Hopewell/ W. Muskingum) hitting .345 and adding 3.21 kills-per-game and sophomore libero Nicole Biblis (Hermitage, PA/Hickory) 4.84 digs-per-game.

                    Baldwin-Wallace, the fourth seed (6-3), will host the fifth seed, Capital (5-4). The Yellow Jackets are making their 20th overall appearance in the tournament where they stand at 21-18. B-W has advanced to the finals eight times, including a 3-1 loss to Ohio Northern in 2003. 

                    The Yellow Jackets have been led by senior outside hitter Kelsey Hills (Toledo/St. Ursula) with 4.61 kills-per-game and 3.68 digs-pr-game, along with  junior middle hitter Maria DePeters (Williamsville, NY/Mt. St. Mary Academy) with 3.69 kills-per-game and .98 blocks-per-game.

   Capital is making its 13th straight and 17th overall stop in the tournament with a 9-15 record. The Crusaders advanced to the finals last in 2005, where they fall to Baldwin-Wallace, 3-1.

                  Leading Capital this season has been senior middle hitter Jessie Hampson (Lancaster) with 4.61 kills-per-game, 3.29 digs-per-game and has hit .417 on the year, along with  sophomore Jenna Zumberger (DeGraff/Fairlawn) with 8.76 assists-per-game and 2.91 digs-per-game.

Tuesday, October 30 Quarterfinals

#8 Marietta (2-7) at #1 Ohio Northern (9-0)                        7:00 p.m.

#7 John Carroll (3-6) at #2 Mount Union (8-1)                  7:00 p.m.

#6 Muskingum (4-5) at #3 Heidelberg (7-2)                      7:00 p.m.

#5 Capital (5-4) at #4 Baldwin-Wallace (6-3)                    7:00 p.m.

Friday, November 2 Semifinals

Third Seed Bracket vs. Second Seed Bracket                 5:00 p.m.

Fourth Seed Bracket vs. Highest Remaining Seed        7:00 p.m.

Saturday, November 3 Final

Championship Match                                                                                   2:00 p.m.