ATLANTA – The Oglethorpe University Stormy Petrels spent Saturday battling through two competitive matches, pushing Saint Mary's College (IN) to the brink in every set before opening their matchup against LaGrange College with a thrilling extra-point victory.
Oglethorpe's first match of the day against Saint Mary's ended in a 3-0 loss, but the final score did little to reflect just how closely contested the matchup was. The Petrels then carried that fight into their second match, taking the opening set against LaGrange 29-27 before eventually falling 3-1.
SAINT MARY'S 3, OGLETHORPE 0
Every set came down to the wire as the Petrels battled Saint Mary's from start to finish.
Jane Pennington led Oglethorpe offensively with 13 kills, followed by Mandy Karavite with five and Aubrey Hill with four. Lauryn Frazier paced the offense with 15 assists, while Abby Wheeler led the defensive effort with 13 digs. Madison Thompson added a team-high three blocks, while Pennington and Toki Ingram each recorded two.
The opening set immediately set the tone for the match. Oglethorpe recorded 14 kills and hit .306 as a team, keeping pace with Saint Mary's throughout the frame. The Petrels battled all the way to the end, but the Belles narrowly secured the set, 25-23.
The second set was even more of a fight. Oglethorpe put together 13 kills and continued to pressure Saint Mary's, but the Belles once again edged the Petrels in another two-point finish, taking the set 26-24.
Facing a 2-0 deficit, Oglethorpe refused to go quietly in the third. The Petrels recorded nine kills while committing just three attack errors and kept the set within striking distance until the final points. Saint Mary's ultimately closed out the match with a 25-21 victory.
Despite the 3-0 final, Oglethorpe finished with 36 kills and five blocks while maintaining offensive pressure throughout all three closely contested sets.
LAGRANGE 3, OGLETHORPE 1
The Petrels returned to the court against LaGrange and came out swinging, capturing the opening set in a 29-27 thriller before the Panthers responded with three straight victories.
Pennington once again led Oglethorpe's offense with 12 kills, while Thompson added 10 and Callie Simmons contributed seven. Frazier and Ava Adams each recorded 14 assists, while Wheeler led the Petrels defensively with 14 digs and added two service aces.
Oglethorpe opened the match with one of its strongest battles of the day. The Petrels recorded nine kills in the first set and traded momentum with LaGrange throughout a back-and-forth frame that eventually required extra points. Oglethorpe held its ground when it mattered most and finished the job with a 29-27 victory.
LaGrange answered immediately in the second set, pulling away for a 25-13 win. The Petrels recorded nine kills in the frame, but the Panthers began to find their rhythm as the match progressed.
The third set followed a similar script, with LaGrange taking control for another 25-13 victory. The Panthers hit .500 in the frame, making it difficult for Oglethorpe to regain the momentum it had established in the opening set.
The Petrels continued to battle in the fourth. Oglethorpe produced its strongest offensive set of the match, recording 12 kills and hitting .240. LaGrange, however, remained in control and closed out the match with a 25-14 victory.
Oglethorpe finished the match with 39 kills, five service aces and 36 assists. Thompson hit .381 while Wheeler's two aces led the team.
Match Notes
- Jane Pennington led the Petrels in kills in both matches, recording 13 against Saint Mary's and 12 against LaGrange.
- Oglethorpe pushed Saint Mary's to two-point finishes in each of the first two sets, falling 25-23 and 26-24.
- The Petrels won their longest set of the day against LaGrange, taking the opener 29-27.
- Abby Wheeler led Oglethorpe defensively in both matches with 13 digs against Saint Mary's and 14 against LaGrange.
- Madison Thompson totaled 10 kills against LaGrange and hit .381.
- Oglethorpe's highest single-set kill total of the day came in the opening set against Saint Mary's with 14.
Up Next
The Stormy Petrels will return to action Saturday, Sept. 12, at 10 a.m. ET against Principia College at the Millsaps Invitational in Jackson, Mississippi.
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