Otterbein wins its first OAC title

The Otterbein women’s volleyball team, ranked 10th in the nation, ended its season in a three-set loss in the NCAA Tournament against Hope College last Thursday. Although this was Otterbein’s third recorded loss to Hope, the season will be chalked up as a win.

With a 26-8 record and an Ohio Athletic Conference Championship title this season, Otterbein has been working on building a reputation as a dominant opponent in the world of Division III women’s volleyball.

Thursday’s tournament was anything but new ground for
Otterbein’s team, as it was the third year in a row the team qualified. But with a bitter taste left in their mouths, the Lady Cardinals drew a match between Hope College, a team they were defeated by in the first round last year.

“We wanted to beat them more than anything,” senior speech communication major Kristen Bennett said. “We didn’t necessarily feel like we got a good draw in the tournament
either with having to play Hope, so we were really fired up to play.”

If Otterbein had been ranked high in the region, the luck of the draw might have been in its favor. But a No. 10-ranked Otterbein was scheduled to take on a No. 6-ranked Hope.

“It goes to show that what you do during the regular season really matters,” head coach
Monica McDonald said.

But McDonald was not phased by the team’s return to the tournament.

“The starters on the floor are girls with lots of experience,” she said. “They really brought in the underclassmen, and we played the best in this tournament we’ve ever played.”

But even with a third visit to the NCAA, Bennett held back overwhelming emotions.

“The NCAA Tournament environment is unlike anything else,” she said. “Every team knows that a loss means the
season is over, so everybody shows up to play.”

The competition is what got sophomore public relations major Tabatha Piper motivated for the tournament.

“It’s an awesome and fun experience,” Piper said. “Plus, all the teams are good at this point, so we have to be at our best.”

But as the season came to a close Thursday, Piper reflected on what made the team so successful this year.

“Communication is key,” she said. “I think that we all brought an open mind to the court as well as the will to work hard toward our goals. I think that the major thing is that we improved throughout the season, and we peaked at the right time.”

McDonald can attribute her team’s success to the work they did all year.

“We worked really hard for this season during the offseason,” she said. “The workouts prepared the girls to not only be physically tough but mentally tougher.”

Bennett added, “We all got along well outside of volleyball, which helps us to play well together on the court. We meshed really well together as a team.”

Bennet said the team was motivated to always push itself.

“We wanted to win the big matches, so we came to play every time,” Bennett said.

McDonald agreed. “We came up empty handed (this year), and it leaves us hungry. It will definitely be something that drives the girls next year.”

Piper said she is anxious to continue this tradition of success.

“Time flies, and I cannot believe I am going to be a junior next year,” she said. “I want to soak in what our team has accomplished this season. I am excited for next year to compete for another OAC championship and to get out of the first round of the NCAA Tournament.”

Bennett and Piper both added all-Great Lakes Region honors and all-American honors to their accomplishments.They are the third and fourth players in Otterbein history to receive this honor.

Senior education major Michelle Gernert was disappointed by the loss but proud of the season.

“I would have loved to keep going, but accomplishing the goal of winning OAC is a perfect ending to my college career,” Gernert said.

As a senior, Bennett offered advice for the girls returning next year on what makes a successful team.

“Take care of business every match, regardless of who the opponent is,” she said. “Work hard in the offseason. There isn’t a lot of time during the season to get stronger and faster because showing up in great shape will speak volumes for your work ethic.”

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