NORTH CANTON, Ohio - In their first match as a nationally ranked program, the #11 Walsh Cavaliers volleyball team battled the #20 Ohio Dominican Panthers at the Cecchini Center on Friday (Feb. 12) night. The Cavaliers made short order of the Panthers in a 3-0 sweep between two top 20 teams. 

Score: Walsh 3, Ohio Dominican 0 (25-18, 25-16, 25-10)
Location: North Canton, Ohio (Cecchini Center)
Records: Walsh 5-1 (5-1), Ohio Dominican 5-1 (5-1)
 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• After three ties in the first six points, Walsh began to distance themselves from the Panthers. Ohio Dominican got within two points, 9-7 before Walsh went on a 6-0 run. Following an ODU timeout at 13-7, Walsh used two aces from Olivia Kearns to lead 15-7. The Cavaliers led by as many as ten, 21-11, before closing out the set 25-18 with an Olivia Maczuzak kill.
• The teams exchanged points in the second set as neither team led by more than two points. As ODU closed the lead to 7-6, Walsh went on a 13-5 run for a 20-11 advantage. Walsh went on to win the set 25-16 for a 2-0 match lead. 
• Ohio Dominican tied the third set at two, leading to Walsh's run to seal the match. Walsh outscored Ohio Dominican 23-8 for the rest of the set, including a 12-2 run before a Panthers timeout. 

FOR THE CAVALIERS

• Olivia Maczuzak led the Cavaliers with 12 kills and a career-best .500 hitting percentage (min. 10 kills). Maczuzak also added seven digs on defense.
• Hallie Schroeder hit .421 for the match with ten kills and three digs.
• Olivia Kearns added 25 assists, three service aces and six digs on defense.
• Natalie Brutscher led the team with ten digs while Sam Wentz had eight digs on defense. 

FOR THE PANTHERS

• Madison Smith had a team-high seven kills for Ohio Dominican. 
• Kelsey Shoup was the leading defender with nine digs. 

BEHIND THE NUMBERS 

• Walsh outhit Ohio Dominican .308 to .020 for the match. The Cavaliers hit .571 in the third set for their best set of the night.
• The Cavaliers had eight service aces for the night with four of them in the first set. 

NOTABLE

• Entering play Friday, Ohio Dominican was 4th in Division II with an opposing hitting % of .062. Walsh managed a .308 hitting percentage for the match.
• Walsh has won five straight matches against the Panthers
• When Walsh hits above .300, the Cavaliers are 1-0 this year and 6-0 in two seasons under Jayme Plummer. 

NEXT UP

• Walsh will continue the current homestand with home matches against Trevecca Nazarene and Kentucky Wesleyan next Friday (Feb. 19) and Saturday (Feb. 20). 

-WC-