Oglethorpe spoils Senior Night for Panthers
Oct. 30, 2007

Oglethorpe University spoiled LaGrange College's volleyball Senior Night with a 3-1 win at the CEB Gym on Tuesday. The Panthers finished the regular season 12-12, while Oglethorpe upped its record to 9-26.

Before the match, seniors Raven Bowen, Kiley Kirkpatrick, Yvette Sanchez and Heather Tidwell were recognized for their careers at LaGrange. Kirkpatrick had a team-high 13 kills in the match. She moved into ninth place on the Panthers' all-time career list for kills with 654. Kirkpatrick is one kill behind former player and now coach, Megan Moore, for eighth.

Oglethorpe won all three of its games by two points. The Stormy Petrels took the first game 30-28 and the Panthers tied the match with a 30-24 win in the second game. Oglethorpe took the match by winning the next two games 30-28 and 31-29.

LaGrange never led in the first game. Oglethorpe built a 21-13 lead, the largest of the game. The Panthers chipped away at the lead, cutting the deficit in half when Kirkpatrick put down a kill to make it 25-21. Trailing 28-24, the Panthers got three straight service aces from Tidwell and a kill from Britny Greensage to tie the game. The Stormy Petrels took the last two points on a tip from Mallory Thomson and Sara Blair's kill.

The Panthers trailed only once in winning the second game. They led by as many as eight points three times in the game. Oglethorpe closed within four, 28-24, but Britny Greensage dropped in a tip and an unforced error closed out the game for the Panthers.

LaGrange jumped out to a 7-1 lead in the third game. Oglethorpe chipped away at the Panthers' lead, finally taking a 13-12 lead after a kill from Elena Dujour. The Stormy Petrels never trailed again, but never led the game by more than five points. The Panthers tied the game at 24 after a kill from Kirkpatrick. Oglethorpe led 29-27, when the Panthers' Casey Craig made a diving dig that was returned for a point to make it 29-28. Jennifer Graham ended the game for Oglethorpe with a kill, as the Stormy Petrels went up 2-1 in the match.

The Panthers built a 14-8 lead in the final game. Dujour's kill tied the game for Oglethorpe at 17. From there, the game was tied six more times. The Panthers led 28-26 but the Stormy Petrels took the next three points to go up 29-28. The Panthers fought off match point when Dujour hit into the net to tie the game for the last time at 29. Oglethorpe took the last two points to take the game and the match.

Greensage followed Kirkpatrick with nine kills and six solo blocks. Kayla Black had a double-double of 40 assists and 11 digs. Grace Burgess, Ashley Hoglund and Craig all had 13 digs.

The Panthers host the GSAC Championship Tournament beginning Friday. The Panthers are the fourth seed in the tournament. They face fifth-seeded Spelman at 4 p.m. in the CEB Gym.