GRANVILLE, Ohio (September 7, 2021) – The Denison University volleyball team led two sets to zero and then led 13-9 in the fifth set, but was unable to hold on to win its second straight match. In the end, the Big Red fell 3-2 (20-25, 24-26, 26-24, 25-18, 15-13) against Otterbein University on Tuesday night inside Livingston Gymnasium.

Denison (3-2 overall) trailed 19-16 in the first set before a big 7-0 run featuring three kills by Daria Rodriguez to take a commanding 23-19 lead.

Then in the second set, the Big Red showed a true never-quit attitude as they came back from down 24-21 to rally and win it with five straight points. That run featured a kill by Lucy Anderson to tie it at 24-24, followed by a kill by Rodriguez to give Denison set point and then lastly, an assisted block by Anderson and Kirby MacKinnon.

In the third set, Denison looked to potentially have the match in hand leading 24-22. However, Otterbein (3-2) did almost exactly what the Big Red did in the previous set, scoring four straight points to come from behind and not only steal the set, but to keep the match alive.

In the fifth and final set, Denison led 5-2 after the third service ace of the set by Payton McElfresh, led 10-5 after a big block by Corinne Boyd, and led 12-9 after back-to-back kills by Natalie Hutras and Sophia Sobota.

Another kill by Sobota made it 13-9 Denison, but again, the Cardinals showed the same spirt that Denison showed in the second set and just refused to go away, getting three straight kills to draw within one before tying it on a Denison ball handling error and then winning it with two more kills.

"While it was not the end result we wanted, I think the team battled and played some good volleyball for most of the match," said Head Volleyball Coach Carter Cassell. "We had a few opportunities to close out the match that we did not capitalize on. Those are opportunities you need to capitalize on against a program like Otterbein. I like the growth of our team and now we will prepare for a competitive weekend."

Although Denison put up its best hitting percentage of the night in the final set at .278 percent, Otterbein hit exactly .500 percent (12 kills, 2 errors) in the final set.

In the end, Denison had three players finish with double digits in kills as Rodriguez led the way with 16 followed by Sobota with 14 and Anderson with 11.

MacKannon did a great job coming in as the team's setter in the second set and finished with 28 assists.

Defensively, Jenna Corrao recorded 22 digs while Rodriguez added 16 to finish with a double-double and MacKinnon came up only one dig short of a double-double herself with nine.

Last but not least, both Anderson and Boyd made their presence felt with five blocks, and McElfresh finished with four service aces.

The action against tough competition will continue for the Big Red as they head to Sandusky, Ohio, to compete in the MIAA-NCAC Battle at the Point inside the Cedar Point Sports Center. There, Denison will square off against No. 7-ranked Hope College on Friday, September 10, followed by a match against Albion College and then a meeting with No. 8 Calvin College on Saturday, September 11.