Every team has one of those nights. A night to forget.

Whatever momentum the Blue Streaks had after sweeping a pair of teams on  Saturday was slowed down by the Otterbein Cardinals in an 3-0 defeat in the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center. 

The Cardinals have received votes in each of the last six American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) Division III polls, and played like a team that wants more voters to pay attention.

"This is one of the toughest volleyball conferences in Division III," head coach Michelle Benoit whose team was coming off a 3-0 win over Capital, said with her clipboard in hand after the game. "We know when we play a conference it is a battle. Tonight, the other team was the better team. Ottebein played a great defensive game. We have to give Otterbein all the credit. They are a great team."

Every time the Blue and Gold showed signs of life, the Cardinals  swooped in and scooped the momentum right back. 

In the first set, JCU went on a four point run to tie the game but the Cardinals responded by scoring nine of the next 11 points. Otterbein won the first set 25-14.

The Blue Streaks hung around in the second game, and led as late as 12-11. Then, Otterbein responded with an eight point scoring run that deflated the Blue and Gold, securing a 25-18 victory in set number two.

"We need to do the little things right. Better execution," said Benoit on sustaining success in the second set. "When we have opportunities, we need to be able to execute."

As the final set rolled around, JCU came out strong by scoring the first three points but the Cardinals never took their foot off the gas. Otterbein clinched a 25-15 win in the third set aided by scoring six of the final seven points. 

"It is a great learning experience. Now they know what that feels like," said Benoit. "We haven't had a ton of losses. We knew what it was like coming in. We thought we could compete. We just did not bring enough."

The Blue Streaks fall to 17-7 on the season and 1-3 in the OAC. The loss was the first for John Carroll in six matches played this season on Mike Moran Court in the Tony DeCarlo Varsity Center.

Cassi Calamaunci had a team-best eight kills, while Ally Bartolone dished out 20 assists. Carleen Ellerbruch had four blocks in the only statistical category JCU had an edge in (six team blocks to four for Otterbein).

The schedule does not get much easier for the Blue and Gold as they will play the No. 11 ranked Ohio Northern Polar Bears on Friday.