Tabor volleyball improved to 4-0 in the KCAC and 12-3 overall with conference wins over McPherson and Ottawa last week.
Ottawa?Tabor defeated the Braves in five sets Satur?day.
?Ottawa always plays just a little different, and so we would adjust well at times and not at times, and we executed our strategy well at times and not great at times, and that?s how it?s going to be at this level,? coach Amy Ratzlaff said. ?Ottawa?s a good team, they?re going to always be strong, and to get a game in five, there?s nothing like winning in five.
?You?d love to win in three, but winning on a kill in the fifth is even sweeter because you feel like you?ve earned it.?
Tabor dropped the first set, 23-25. The Bluejays took a 21-19 lead on a Tena Loe?wen kill, but Ottawa tied it at 22 and went on to win by two.
The Bluejays regrouped to win Set 2, 25-16, but Ottawa won the third set, 25-21.
?We just weren?t in sync,? Ratzlaff said of the first half of the match. ?It was kind of an odd day. I felt like we just weren?t ourselves, and I think we didn?t pass very well at the beginning.?
Tabor fought back and held off a late Ottawa rally to win the fourth set, 25-22.
With the game on the line, Ottawa built a 5-2 lead early, but the Bluejays rallied to tie the game, 6-6, on a Jessie Vogts kill. Ottawa later tied it at 12, but Tabor pulled ahead to win, 15-12, on a Loewen kill.
?Our serve-receivers really gave themselves to serve-receive, and I think that made a huge difference because then we can hit the ball,? Ratzlaff said.
?But I also don?t think we give Holli enough credit. I mean balls that she was putting up at the end of that game were unbelievable. She gives herself completely to this game. She?s always the unsung hero, but in a game to five, I don?t think people realize how much work Holli does and it is remarkable.?
Loewen, who was named KCAC Hitter of the Week, and Katie Kaufman led with a game-high 20 kills apiece, followed by Vogts with 13. Holli Wolf had 57 assists, and Amy Jo Maphet had 21 digs.
McPherson?Tabor won in three sets at McPherson Wednesday night (25-22, 25-15, 25-20).
?Mac was a great game for us because I feel like we played the same level the whole night,? coach Amy Ratzlaff said. ?We knew they were going to come out pumped, and we just were patient and executed the game plan. Over time, I think it wore them down.?
Jessie Vogts led with 11 kills, followed by Tena Loewen with 10. Holli Wolf had 32 assists, and Amy Jo?Maphet had 10 digs.
Coming?Tabor will host Kansas Wesleyan (4-0 KCAC, 12-9 overall) tonight at 7 p.m. before traveling to Univer?sity of Saint Mary (2-2, 7-8)?Saturday at 7:30 p.m.
