TIFFIN – The Heidelberg University volleyball team had a chance to win. Plenty of them, in fact. But the visiting Otterbein Cardinals rallied from a two-set deficit and defeated the Student Princes, 22-25 23-25 25-22 26-24 15-10. Both teams move to 5-7 on the season.

Stephanie Romie had a game-high 40 assists and Sarah Parker had 15 kills to lead The Berg. Mariah Sullivan was the only other Student Prince in double-figures offensively, finishing with 10.

Aided by a number of Cardinal service errors, Heidelberg stormed out to the two-set lead. In the third set, Otterbein jumped out to a 7-1 lead and controlled the remainder of the set.

The lead in the fourth set seesawed between the two OAC rivals. The Tricolor led 6-1 before the Cardinals battled back to tie the set at nine. After the schools traded points all the way up to 15-15, Heidelberg took momentum and ran out to a 20-16 lead, which prompted an Otterbein timeout.

After the respite, Otterbein rallied for the next four points to tie the match. After the score was tied at 24, Otterbein took the next two points and won the set.

In the fifth set, Heidelberg took a 6-2 lead, which elicited another Otterbein timeout. Following the break, HU never seemed to find a rhythm and finished the set with a .040 attack percentage. A kill by Otterbein's Morgan Lowenkamp capped off a match-winning 13-4 run.

It was the opening match in OAC play for both schools.

Four players had more than 10 digs, led by Grace Samenuk's 15. Romie, Jubilee Haase and Megan Mills had 12 digs in the losing effort. Parker contributed to a match-high five blocks.

Heidelberg travels to the Elmhurst invitation this weekend and will face Washington, Susquehanna, Emory and Wheaton. The Student Princes return to Seiberling Gymnasium on Tuesday, facing Hiram in a non-conference showdown.