Wendel shines for Express

Kiah Wendel totaled 19 or more digs per match just twice all season.

She averaged that during the span of four matches over the weekend.

Wendel, a 2018 Fort Recovery High School graduate, turned in her second- and third-best defensive performances of her young career for the Owens Community College volleyball team as it went 2-2 during the Parkland Invitational on Saturday and Sunday.

The freshman began the invitational with 22 digs, two off her career best, as the Express beat Des Moines Area Community College 3-1. She also registered just her second kill of the season, while also notching one ace. 

Later that same day she had 17 digs and two aces in a 3-1 loss to Illinois Central, which snapped the Express’ 19-match winning streak.

The following day she tallied 18 digs and one ace in a 3-0 loss to host Parkland before a 19-dig, one-ace effort as the Express (21-3), who are No. 2 in the National Junior College Athletic Association Division III poll, beat McHenry County College in four sets.

To date, the former Indian has 271 digs, which ranks 20th among all NJCAA players. 

Kylie Osborne

Jay County – 2016

Led the Anderson University volleyball team in kills Saturday in a five-set win over Marantha Baptist during the Tiffany Robinson Memorial Invitational at North Central College.

The junior tallied 18 kills on 37 attacks (37.8 percent), and added eight digs and three aces while assisting on four blocks. Earlier in the day she had two digs, one kill and a block in a 3-0 loss against Lakeland University.

Osborne opened the tournament Friday by posting 14 kills, six digs and three aces in a 3-1 win over North Central.

On Tuesday she had seven kills and four digs as the Ravens (8-9) got swept by Saint Mary-of-the-Woods. 

Kendra Siefring

Fort Rec. – 2016

Set a new career-high in kills to help the University of Saint Francis volleyball team beat the Bethel College Pilots in five sets on Saturday.

The junior fired 16 kills, besting her previous high of 14. She also had two aces and assisted on two blocks for USF (20-3, 9-1 Crossroads League).

Siefring totaled 12 kills, three aces and six total blocks, matching a career best, in a five-set loss Friday to Spring Arbor, which snapped the NAIA No. 16 Cougars’ 15-match winning streak.

On Wednesday, Siefring had a team-high eight kills in a sweep of Huntington University. She also had four aces.

Her 72 blocks on the season ranks 16th in the nation.

Cassidy Rammel

Fort Rec. – 2015

Totaled 24 kills in two days for the University of Saint Francis volleyball team as it split a pair of matches.

She had 10 kills Friday in a loss to Spring Arbor while adding seven digs and two aces. Rammel followed that effort with 14 kills, 11 digs, one ace and an assist as the Cougars bounced back from the loss by beating Bethel College on Saturday.

Rammel tallied seven kills, two aces and a dig on Wednesday in a three-set win against Huntington.

Ava Kunkler

Jay County – 2016

Came off the bench to record a dozen kills Saturday for the University of Saint Francis volleyball team in its 25-15, 25-27, 16-25, 25-15, 15-6 win against Bethel College.

She also had three digs and helped on a pair of blocks for the Cougars in the victory.

A day earlier she finished with five kills in a five-set loss to Spring Arbor.

On Wednesday, Kunkler tallied four kills in a win over Huntington.

Kyra Braun

Jay County – 2016

Represented the Trine Thunder women’s tennis team during the ITA Women’s Central Regional Championship tournament at Kalamazoo College.

Joining Katie Simon to compete in the doubles tournament, the Thunder tandem dropped its opening-round match to Annika Pandey and Nicole Semenov of Chicago 8-0.

In the consolation bracket, Braun and Simon fell in a tiebreak to Bailey Chorney and Taylor LaBarge of Hope College 9-8 (7-6 (2)).

Collin Haines

Jay County – 2018

Played for the IU-South Bend men’s golf team as it competed in the Blue Devil Classic at The Tradition at Treetops in Gaylord, Michigan.

The freshman shot 12-over-par 82 on the first of two rounds and sat in 14th place. On the following day, he improved his score by four strokes, finishing with a two-day total of 160 to place 16th as the Titan’s No. 4 golfer.

Zach Farrer of Lawrence Tech shot even par 140 to win the tournament.

IU-South Bend was third out of four teams with a 607 total. Lawrence Tech won with 572.

Olivia Von Gunten

South Adams – 2018

Ran for the Huntington University women’s cross country team Saturday in the Bullock Invitational at Taylor.

The freshman had a time of 21 minutes, 18.9 seconds to finish 48th overall and fourth for the Foresters. Alex Berends of Taylor won in 17:58.1.

The host Trojans won the title with 22 points. Huntington totaled 195 for eighth place.

Kaelyn Weaver

Jay County – 2017

Contributed to the Saint Xavier University volleyball team Tuesday in a home sweep against Cardinal Stritch University. 

The freshman totaled two kills, one dig and assisted on a block in the 25-17, 25-20, 25-16 triumph.

She has 21 kills and seven digs on the season for the Cougars (10-4).

Kirsten Jutte

Fort Recovery – 2016

Played for the Capital University women’s volleyball team in a pair of losses at Albion College on Saturday.

She had one kill as she played one set of a 3-0 loss to Adrian College, then registered four kills and an assist against host Albion. The Crusaders fell to Albion in three sets.

Capital has lost all 13 of its matches this season.