The Mount Union women's volleyball team defeated Baldwin Wallace in four sets, 27-25, 21-25, 27-25 and 25-20, Wednesday night at the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex.
The Purple Raiders (14-4, 1-1 OAC) were led by a career-high in digs from senior libero Alyssa Kasaris (North Royalton) and a season-high 20 kills from sophomore outside hitter Heaven Bartell (Cleveland / St. Joseph Academy).
Baldwin Wallace (9-8, 0-2 OAC) were led by Gabby Schlecht with 18 kills, Olivia Zawadzki with 44 assists and Lauren Gardner with 39 digs.
Senior right side hitter Maria Ellesin (Alliance / Marlington) was one kill off her career-high with 16 kills.
Senior setters Mollie Thomas (Massillon / Massillon Perry) and Katie May (Brecksville / Independence) fed the hitters all night with 25 and 20 assists.
Bartell also picked up 20 digs on the night while sophomore defensive specialist Katelyn Lesko (Mineral Ridge), Thomas and May picked up double digit digs with 15, 12 and 10 respectively.
Mount Union finished with 10 total blocks on the night with sophomore middle hitter Alexis Meyer (Avon Lake) led the Raider with 2 solo and 2 assisted blocks.
In the first set Mount Union got out to a 4-2 lead led by two kills from Ellesin but a 7-1 run for Baldwin Wallace gave them a 9-5 lead. Mount Union got with one four different times with the last being at 16-15 off a kill from Ellesin. Baldwin Wallace lengthened the lead out to 22-17 but the Raiders outscored Baldwin Wallace 10-3 including a 5-0 run and then a 3-0 run to end the set.
Set two Baldwin Wallace got out to an 8-3 lead but Mount Union brought the score back to within two at 15-13 thanks to kills from Bartell and Meyer. Baldwin Wallace pushed the lead out to 21-15 with two separate 3-0 runs. A 5-2 run as sophomore middle hitter Catherine Klopp (Sycamore / Mohawk) got two kills in the rally got Mount Union within three at 23-20. Baldwin Wallace finished off the set on a 2-1 run to take the set.
For Mount Union and Baldwin Wallace, they were tied at points of one, two, eight, nine and ten for the start of set three. Baldwin Wallace pushed out to a 15-11 lead but a 7-2 run from the Raiders ending with a kill from Ellesin and a block from Bartell gave Mount Union a 18-17 lead. The rest of the set neither team led by more than one as there was eight ties, but a 4-1 run ended the set for Mount Union.
The final set saw Mount Union get out to a 5-1 lead but Baldwin Wallace responded with a 6-1 run to take a 8-6 lead. Two kills from Bartell and a kill from May and senior right side hitter Isabella Sprunger (North Royalton) sparked a 6-2 run to push the lead back out to 12-9. Mount Union found another 4-0 run to push the lead out to 17-12. Baldwin Wallace fought back to get within two at 22-20 but two kills and a block from Klopp and Ellesin finished the match.
Mount Union now hits the road for the next game heading to Tiffin, Ohio to take on Heidelberg on Saturday, October 8 for a 1 p.m. start.
Original source can be found here.
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