The Park University Gilbert volleyball team lost 3-0 (25-18, 25-14, 25-21) to Ottawa University Arizona this evening at the Arizona Region Volleyball Facility in Chandler, Ariz. With the loss, the Buccaneers drop to 0-2 while the Spirit who are receiving votes in latest top 25 coaches poll.

"We are still trying to find out who we are as team," said Buccaneers head coach Clay Webb. "Ottawa did a really good job of controlling their side of the court. We worked really hard in certain phases of the match, and we are getting better, but we are still trying to find our identity."

Part of finding that identity was trying different combinations with the setting duo of Melissa Blockey and Jenifer Lauer.  In set one Blockey saw most of the action, while in set the Bucs went to a 6-2 system and both players played a relative equal amount of time depending on who was in the front court.  In set three, Lauer took the reins of the offense. Webb also had freshman outside hitter Megan Hicks see some time as did senior opposite hitter Jasmine Urban,

"We are so fortunate here at Park to have depth at a lot of positions," said Webb. "So, finding (who within that) depth can go out an perform is what we are trying to figure out right now. Who can go out and perform and score for us when we need to win a match."

Offensively, the Bucs essentially played even with the Spirit in kills with 34 putaways, to Ottawa's 37.  But as it was in the season opener, errors were the Bucs undoing.  Thirty total miscues (19 attack errors, 11 service errors) did the Bucs in and some of those could be attributed to poor passing in serve receive which made it difficult on the Bucs setters to put the hitters in an advantageous hitting position.   

Freshman Amanda Jonovich led the Buccaneers with 11 kills and hit .321, her second consecutive match with double digit finishes. She also added seven digs. Miranda Bacon and Georgia Romine-Black each had seven kills and Romine-Black led the team with eight digs on the night.

Up next, the Bucs hit the road for a triangular in Glendale, Ariz., as they take on Arizona Christian and Trinity International on Friday, September 3 at 3 and 5 p.m. respectively.