Volleyball

BEREA, OHIO -- The 12th-ranked Baldwin-Wallace College volleyball team improved to 26-4 overall and ended its 2002 Ohio Athletic Conference regular season with an 8-1 record tonight when it defeated Marietta College, 3-0, at the Ban Johnson Fieldhouse in Marietta. The scores of the match were 30-23, 30-25 and 30-16. The victory was also B-W's ninth straight.

Offensively, the Yellow Jackets were led on the front row by sophomore middle hitter Laura Leach (Norwalk Senior) and junior two-time All-OAC middle hitter Cassie Palmer (Greenwich/ South Central). Leach had a team-high 14 kills and hit .500 and tied with Palmer for the most blocks with three each. Palmer also had 13 kills. Helping the offense was junior All-OAC setter Kerry Helm (Luckey/ Eastwood) with 45 set assists. On defense, the trio of senior All-OAC outside hitter Sarah Gordon (Wooster Senior), Helm and senior All-OAC defensive specialist/ libero Kate Kost (Fairview Park) all had 20 or more digs. Gordon led with 25 and both Helm and Kost each added 20.

The Yellow Jackets will be back in action today when they travel to NAIA power Walsh University in Canton for a tri-match. First, B-W will play the #11-ranked and host Cavaliers at 3:00 p.m. and then square off against the #25-ranked team in Division II, Cornerstone (Mich.) College at 5:00 p.m.

Next Tuesday, B-W will open 2002 OAC Tournament action when they host a yet to be determined opponent at the Rudolph Ursprung Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m. The OAC Final Four will be at top-seeded Ohio Northern University on Friday and Saturday. If B-W wins its first round game, it will play its semifinal game at ONU at 5:00 p.m. on Friday. Saturday's championship match is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.

FOR MORE INFORMATION on B-W Sports Information, please call the SID Office at (440) 826-2327, FAX us at (440) 826-2329 or e-mail SID Kevin Ruple at kruple@bw.edu.  To contact Head Volleyball Coach Vicki Brault, please call her at (440) 826-3254, FAX her at (440) 826-2192 or e-mail her at vbrault@bw.edu.