Assertive play with a side of dominance was the perfect recipe for a conference victory.

The John Carroll University women's volleyball team defeated the Otterbein University Cardinals 23-25, 28-26, 25-10, 25-14 on Tuesday evening inside the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center. The match marked the first Ohio Athletic Conference win for the Blue Streak program in 2015 (9-10, 1-1 OAC).

Leading the way for JCU was the veteran duo of Leah Switalski (18 kills) and Sarah Orlandi (13 kills). Aside from them, Katie Cosker chipped in four service aces while Kit O'Shaughnessy tallied 39 assists.

In the early going, the Blue Streaks followed a tentative recipe, and it did not go well. After winning the first point, the Blue Streaks allowed a 5-0 run to set the tone for the opening frame. The Blue and Gold were forced to chase the Cardinals the entire set, closing in at 21-20 before relinquishing the frame, 25-23.

The seesaw affair continued in the second set as neither team could obtain a lead greater than three. Despite the tight match, the Blue Streaks elevated their game when it mattered most in the critical stages of the set by saving a set point and holding on for a 28-26 win. Not only did this level the game at one set apiece, but it also was a huge swing of momentum for the home team.
           
Unlike the first two sets, JCU separated itself in dominating fashion in the third with a 25-10 win. The Blue Streaks had five scoring runs of three or more consecutive points. Most notably, JCU won 10 of the last 12 points in the set. A Switalski throwdown put the exclamation point on a rather brief third frame.
           
The fourth set was more of the same as John Carroll refused to shift out of cruise control. If an early 10-3 lead was not an indication of their dominance, then a late 4-0 run to bring the lead to 11 was. The 25-14 set win sealed the deal and gave JCU a key notch in the OAC win column in what was the Blue Streaks' first home match since September 1.

The Blue Streaks will continue their 2015 conference schedule when they head to Wilmington, OH to take on the Fightin' Quakers this Saturday at 1 p.m. inside the Fred Raizk Arena.