the Division III National Invitational Tournament at Wittenberg
BEREA, OH -- The Baldwin-Wallace College volleyball team, 10-9 overall and a perfect 3-0 in the Ohio Athletic Conference, will face three more stiff tests this weekend when it travels to Springfield, Ohio to participate in the Division III National Invitational Tournament at Wittenberg University. The Yellow Jackets will play two matches each on Friday, October 10, and Saturday, October 11. To view the entire National Invitational Tournament schedule, please click here.
To date, the Yellow Jackets, who received 22 votes but did make qualify for the AVCA (American Volleyball Coaches Association) Top-25 poll, have played seven Top-25 teams so far this season, including the top three teams in the nation. This weekend, B-W will play three more as it faces 15th-ranked Elmhurst (Ill.) and sixth-ranked Wittenberg on Friday and then plays seventh-ranked College of Mt. St. Joseph on Saturay morning before entering the championship round of play in the eight-team event. To view the entire AVCA Top-25 poll, please click here.
"We look forward to another great weekend of volleyball and the challenge that this tournament offers our young women," said Yellow Jacket Head Coach Vicki Brault. "We are playing some of our best volleyball of the season, and I hope that continues. Against teams of this caliber, we will have to play our A-game. This is a great, great tournament and we are pleased to be invited to participate."
The Yellow Jackets last played on Tuesday when they beat OAC arch-rival Mount Union College, 3-1, in Alliance. Mt. Union was 18-4 overall prior to that match. So far this season, B-W has played teams with a combined 223-109 record and a .672 winning percentage. This weekend, Elmhurst, Wittenberg and Mt. St. Joseph have combined for a 48-10 overall mark with a .873 winning percentage.
Last Saturday, B-W shut out then 12th-ranked Ohio Northern University, 3-0, in Berea. The loss dropped the Polar Bears to 17th nationally. Earlier in the week, B-W beat always-tough OAC-rival Muskingum College, 3-1, in Berea. Highlighting the week was the play of senior middle hitter Cassie Palmer (Greenwich/ South Central), who had 47 kills and 11 blocks to earn OAC Volleyball Player of the Week honors. To view the overall Yellow Jacket 19-match statistics, please click here.
Following its trip to Springfield, the Yellow Jackets return to Berea and begin preparations for a Tuesday trip to Tiffin and a match against OAC-foe Heidelberg College at 7:00 p.m. Next Saturday, October 18, B-W is home to play Wilmington College at 1:00 p.m.
FOR MORE SPORTS INFORMATION, please contact Sports Information Director Kevin Ruple by telephone at (440) 826-2327, by FAX machine at (440) 826-2329 or via e-mail at kruple@bw.edu. To contact Yellow Jacket Head Coach Vicki Brault by telephone, please call her at (440) 826-3254, by FAX at (440) 826-2192 or via e-mail at vbrault@bw.edu.
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