Ohio Dominican captures first ever G-MAC Championship by stunning Cedarville
CEDARVILLE, Ohio — Less than 24 hours after upsetting No. 2 Findlay in the G-MAC semifinals, the No. 3 Ohio Dominican Panthers stunned top-seed Cedarville University in a dramatic five-set championship match to claim the 2025 G-MAC title and an automatic NCAA Tournament berth.
Making their third straight championship appearance, ODU’s senior class delivered when it mattered most. Jenna Peters powered the offense with 19 kills and two blocks, while Ashley Aselage added 15 kills and Logan Rubel chipped in 14. At the helm of the attack, setters Gabrielle Kirker and Saige Avery combined for 64 assists; Kirker tallied five aces and 24 assists, while Avery posted 40 assists, 16 digs, and a team-high four blocks.
The Panthers’ defense held strong as well. Lauren Dinunzi finished with 20 digs and an ace, and libero Christen Tarter led the back row with 22 digs and four assists.
Set One
ODU came out firing, jumping to a 7–2 start before Cedarville fought back to within one at 16–15. Deadlocked at 23–23, the Panthers delivered two clutch points to silence the Callan Athletic Center and grab a 1–0 match lead.
Set Two
Riding their early momentum, the Panthers opened on a 4–0 burst and eventually built an 11–3 advantage. A closing 7–1 run capped a dominant set, putting ODU firmly in control, 2–0.
Set Three
Cedarville’s offense finally found its rhythm. After an 8–8 tie, the Panthers rolled off five straight, only for CU to counter with four unanswered to move ahead 16–15. Energized by the home crowd, Cedarville pulled away 25–20 to extend the match.
Set Four
With momentum shifting, the Yellow Jackets continued to surge. The set remained tight at 13–13 and 16–16 before Cedarville erupted for a 7–1 run to force a decisive fifth set.
Set Five
The veteran Panthers regained their composure.
“Our seniors do a really good job at staying composed,” said head coach Amy Bambenek. “They stick to the game plan and push through the chaos, momentum, and the ups and downs of volleyball.”
Dinunzi set the tone with four straight points from the service line, giving ODU a 4–0 lead. Cedarville answered with a run of its own to tie the set at 5–5. Key kills from Rubel and Aselage nudged ODU ahead 10–9. Tied again at 10–10, Rubel struck once more, sparking a four-point finishing burst that sealed the set 15–10 and delivered Ohio Dominican its first-ever G-MAC Championship.
The title is also the first conference crown of Coach Amy Bambenek’s career.
When asked to capture the moment in one word, she laughed: “Unbelievable—just amazing. I don’t know, I have too many words.”
With the victory, the Panthers now await their NCAA Tournament destination, which will be revealed during Monday night’s selection show.