Wittenberg Volleyball Defeats Otterbein in NCAA First Round

PITTSBURGH, PA - The Wittenberg volleyball team captured a 3-1 victory over Otterbein in the first round of the NCAA tournament on Thursday, November 20, in Pittsburgh.
 
Wittenberg carries a 21-7 record into the second round, while Otterbein finishes the 2025 season with a 24-6 record. The Tigers will face the winner of the Wisconsin Eau Claire (27-4) and St. Mary’s (MD) (17-14) first-round matchup on Friday, November 21, at 4:30 p.m.
 
WITTENBERG (21-7) 3, OTTERBEIN (24-6) 1
(25-23, 25-22, 22-25, 25-16)
  • Wittenberg came out firing in the first set, building an early lead behind senior Kaili Worcester (Powell, OH/Olentangy Liberty) and sophomore Clare O’Malley (Avon, OH/St. Joseph's Academy). Juniors Kait Colahan (Vermilion, OH/Vermilion) and Sam Fincham (Springfield, OH/Kenton Ridge) added timely kills, while sophomore Mary Sulfridge (South Charleston, OH/Southeastern) orchestrated the offense with precise distribution. Despite Otterbein’s late surge, Wittenberg controlled the key points and secured the set 25-23.
  • The Tigers maintained momentum in the second set, with early kills from sophomore Madelyn Luers (Liberty Township, OH/Lakota East), O’Malley, and Worcester establishing a lead. Otterbein stayed close by capitalizing on Wittenberg errors, but the Tigers’ balanced attack, including key contributions from Colahan, Fincham, and Sulfridge, kept them ahead. Wittenberg held steady down the stretch and closed the frame 25-22.
  • After trading points early in the third set, Wittenberg leaned on consistent swings from Fincham, Colahan, and O’Malley to counter Otterbein’s scoring runs. Sulfridge’s distribution set up several late kills, and strong blocking helped the Tigers force errors at critical moments. Despite the tight back-and-forth, Otterbein ultimately edged the set 25-22.
  • In the fourth set, Wittenberg asserted control with kills from O’Malley, Worcester, and Sulfridge, taking advantage of Otterbein errors. O’Malley and Sulfridge, in particular, combined for several points in a late run, while Worcester contributed key kills and service aces. The Tigers’ steady offense and smart blocking closed out the set and match 25-16.
  • O’Malley led Wittenberg with 12 kills and six total blocks, while Worcester added 11 kills and Colahan contributed 10. Luers posted a team-high .429 hitting percentage with eight kills, while Sulfridge ran the offense with 42 assists and contributed 10 digs. Defensively, senior Ally White (Harrison, OH/Harrison) anchored the back row with 18 digs, while junior Ava Golem (Kirtland, OH/Kirtland) added 16 digs and senior Piper Ricketts (Morrow, OH/Little Miami) posted 11 digs helping Wittenberg stay strong from start to finish.

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