By Tim Glon

ADA — The Ohio Northern volleyball team finished the 2007 season ranked No. 10 in the final weekly CSTV/American Volleyball Coaches Association poll, which was released Tuesday.

The Polar Bears (29-6 overall, 9-0 Ohio Athletic Conference) received 380 votes from the 25-voter panel, nine more than last week when they were also No. 10.

ONU was No. 10 in the ninth poll, was No. 11 in the eighth poll, was No. 10 in the seventh poll, was No. 12 in the fifth and sixth polls, was No. 13 in the third and fourth polls, was No. 14 in the second poll, was No. 18 in the first weekly poll and was No. 15 in the preseason poll.

Ohio Northern won its eighth consecutive OAC regular season title, won its second straight OAC Tournament title this season and posted its NCAA record 31st consecutive winning season in 2007.

Northern received the OAC’s automatic bid to the NCAA III Tournament by reaching the OAC Tournament finals as the outright regular season champion.

The appearance marked Ohio Northern’s 24th bid in the 27-year history of the NCAA III Tournament, which ranks second in appearances among the more than 425 Division III schools.

ONU defeated Webster (Mo.) and No. 19-ranked Hiram to reach the Sweet 16 beofre falling to No. 1-ranked Wittenberg in the Great Lakes Regionals finals.

Washington (Mo.) is the unanimous top seed, receiving 600 points and all 25 first place votes, after winning the NCAA III Tournament championship.

Wisconsin-Whitewater is second with 571 points, Wittenberg is No. 3 with 556 points and Juniata (pa.) is fourth with 528 points.