WILMINGTON, Ohio – The Heidelberg University volleyball team traveled to Wilmington College on Saturday for their final OAC matchup of the season. After dropping the opening set, HU won the next three matches to secure the victory, 23-25, 25-20, 25-12, 25-22.

Heidelberg improved to 16-14 (4-5 OAC) while Wilmington fell to 9-15 (1-8 OAC). 

Anamya Truex led all players with 14 kills on the day. Lexi Evak tallied 10 with Lexi Wachtman adding seven of her own. Nicole Thomas had a game-high six aces for Heidelberg.

Maddie Reed had a stellar day passing the ball as she notched 28 assists in the win. Defensively, Thomas added 19 digs while Grace Dohanyos and Wachtman added nine and seven. 

Heidelberg carried an early 5-1 lead early in the first set, but the home team fought back. The Quakers cut their deficit to 6-4 following a kill. The visitors stretched their lead again following a Grace Porter kill making the score 10-6 midway through the match. 

Wilmington was not ready to go down just yet and tied the game at 12-12 after a Heidelberg error. The Quakers scored the next two points to secure their first lead of the match, 14-12. 

After seeing their lead slip away, HU rattled off four straight points which included Anamya Truex and Lexi Evak kills to take the lead back, 16-14. Each team traded points and the score was knotted at 21-21.

The Berg fell short in the first set after a hard fought battle, 25-23. 

The second set was another close match with Heidelberg taking the early 5-2 lead. A block by Truex helped extend the HU lead to 7-4. The home team stayed close and took their first lead 14-13 forcing the Student Princes to take a timeout. 

With the Quakers stretching their lead to 17-14, HU not backing down climbed back to regain the lead 18-17 after an error from Wilmington. The Berg controlled the match from that point on and Riley Tople closed out the set with two kills for a final of 25-20. 

After rallying to a win in set two, HU carried that momentum into the third match. The Student Princes tallied five straight points to make the lead 9-3, with Wilmington taking a timeout. A few errors by the hosts allowed Heidelberg to stretch the lead to 15-8. 

Thomas served an ace for the Berg late in the match, getting the visitors closer to another win at 20-11. Reed followed suit a few points later and ended the match with two service aces of her own, taking set three, 25-12. 

Looking to close out the match, HU dug themselves into an early hole as the Quakers took the early 6-3 lead. But Heidelberg scratched and clawed their way back to a one point game following a Truex kill. 

An Evak kill tied the game 12-12 and HU kept it rolling taking the next two points for their first lead 14-12. The trio of Evak, Tople and Lexi Wachtman aided in HU scoring five of six points to make it 20-15. 

Wilmington cut their deficit to just one at 21-20 after an error from HU. Their comeback bid was not enough though as Heidelberg pulled together in the end for the 25-22 victory. 

Heidelberg finished the OAC slate with four wins -- one win shy of qualifying for the six-team conference tournament.  

Next up for Heidelberg will be a home match on Tuesday as they host Oberlin College on Senior Night in Seiberling Gymnasium at 7 p.m.