STRYKER SENIOR … Allie Ruffer plays the ball over the net for the Panthers in their five-set win over Edon.
PHOTOS BY REBEKAH DELL / THE VILLAGE REPORTER
SERVICE PLAY … Edon’s Adison Briner hits a serve during Thursday’s BBC match at Stryker.
By: Jesse Davis
THE VILLAGE REPORTER
jesse@thevillagereporter.com
STRYKER (October 9, 2025) – The Stryker Panthers volleyball team are the Buckeye Border Conference co-champion after a come-from-behind victory at home over the Edon Bombers.
Play in the first set began at a fast pace as the teams tied six times on their way to 11-11, with each team racking up a four-point run along the way. During the Panthers’ four-point run, freshman Kenzie Clemens caught fire with three straight aces.
After the tie at 11, the Bombers built a lead that the Panthers were unable to surmount, with kills coming by a wide variety of players on their way to a 25-18 set one win.
The second set was closer than the first, with nine ties on the way to 14-14. Early on, Edon was able to stretch to a three-point lead after a three-point run, including a kill by sophomore Lucy Morris, but was immediately matched by a four-point run from Stryker.
Passing through the 14-14 tie, the Panthers went on a six-point run to take the lead 20-14, including an ace by senior Allie Ruffer as well as several kills.
Edon fought back to 21-19, but a four-point run ended with a kill by senior Abigail Oberlin to seal Stryker’s second set win 25-19 and tie the match at 1-1.
Both teams continued to remain competitive through set three, tying five times up to 9-9, when the Bombers staged a breakout with a five-point run courtesy of a pair of Panther errors, followed up by an ace from freshman Avery Aldrich and kills by juniors Grace Ripke and Adison Briner to bring the score to 14-9.
Stryker fought back with a four-point run of their own, including two aces by senior Reiss Creighton, but the Bombers held their edge, eventually extending it via a four-point run which saw two aces by sophomore Madison Baker.
After another point for the Panthers, a kill by Morris wrapped it up for Edon, 25-18, putting them up 2-1 on the match.
The Panthers came into set four reinvigorated, and after tying five times on the way to 7-7, started putting serious numbers on the board as they went on a five-point run followed by a four-point run while the Bombers put up just one point.
Edon would only put another three points on the board as Stryker put up two, four, and three-point runs, including aces by three servers and several kills on their way to a resounding 25-11 victory to force a deciding fifth set.
After a quick first point from both teams, an Edon serve error was followed by an ace from junior Aubrey Clemens and kill by Oberlin to put Stryker up 4-1 and sent the crowd roaring.
A Stryker serve error was immediately followed by the Panthers going on a three-point run before giving up a kill to the Bombers, then a four-point run including three kills by Donovan.
The teams each put up three more points to bring up 14-6, when Clemens scored a kill to bring down the house, giving Stryker the set 15-6.
Stryker shares the title with Pettisville who clinched their share after sweeping North Central.
Stryker d. Edon, 18-25, 25-19, 18-25, 25-11, 15-6
Edon (16-6, 5-2 BBC): Genna Ripke – 35 assists; Grace Ripke – 16 digs, 6 kills; Madison Baker – 14 digs, 9 kills, 6 aces; Avery Aldrich – 15 digs; Lucy Morris – 19 kills
Stryker (14-7, 6-1 BBC): Aubrey Clemens – 31/41 hitting, 17 kills, 22 digs; Reiss Creighton – 18 assists; Kenzie Clemens- 15 assists, 15/15 serving, 4 aces; Abby Oberlin – 35/37 hitting, 8 kills, 20 digs, 22/22 serving, 2 aces