WESTERVILLE, Ohio – The Baldwin Wallace University women's volleyball team was defeated by Otterbein University in the first Ohio Athletic Conference match of the season by a score of 3-1 inside the Rike Center.  

BW (8-5, 0-1 OAC) fell to an early deficit as Otterbein (9-5, 1-0 OAC) took the first two sets and looked to complete the sweep. However, the Brown and Gold held the lead for almost the entire third set and was able to escape with a set victory before the Cardinals put BW away in the fourth to hand the Yellow Jackets their first conference loss of the season.

BW Leaders

• Senior All-Ohio Athletic Conference outside hitter Sam Rueda (Aurora, Ill./Metea Valley) finished with a statline of nine kills, eight digs, and four total blocks
• Junior Academic All-OAC setter Katarina Blazetic (DeLand, Fla.) tallied a game-high 34 assists and added 13 digs and three block assists
• Senior All-OAC libero Lauren Gardner (Avon/St. Joseph Academy) led the Brown and Gold defense with 18 digs
• Senior outside hitter Brinn MacLellan (Novelty/Gilmour Academy) was the only Yellow Jacket with double-digit kills as she totaled 11
• Freshman middle hitter Josie Lynn (Wabash, Ind./Northfield) tallied six kills, three digs, and five block assists
• Senior outside hitter Sydney Simonson (Sullivan/Black River) recorded five kills and three block assists
• Junior Academic All-OAC outside hitter Gabby Schlecht (Naperville, Ill./North) had five kills while freshman outside hitter Bella Martinez (Newark) added four 

• Senior libero and 2023 OAC Libero of the Year Amanda Troyer led all players with 26 digs
• Freshman middle hitter Chandler Crowell recorded a game-high 16 klils
• Freshman setter Kaitlyn Schram led the Cardinals with 32 assists

First Set (Otterbein 25-22)

• Otterbein led 17-10 in kills
• Yellow Jackets hit .176
• Cardinals hit .205

Second Set (Otterbein 25-17)

• Otterbein led 19-10 in kills
• Yellow Jackets hit .188
• Cardinals hit .364

Third Set (BW 26-24)

• Both teams had 12 kills
• Yellow Jackets hit .211
• Cardinals hit .140

Fourth Set (Otterbein 27-25)

• Otterbein led 16-6 in kills
• Yellow Jackets hit .085
• Cardinals hit .233

The Yellow Jackets are back in action on Friday, September 27 when they travel to Washington, Pennsylvania for a non-conference matchup against Washington & Jefferson (Pa.) College at 7 p.m. in the Salvitti Family Gymnasium at the Henry Memorial Center.