ASTON, Pa.—The Mount Union volleyball team dropped a 3-0 decision to  No. 8 Juniata (Pa.) in an NCAA Tournament second round match at the Mirenda Center on the campus of Neumann University. The Purple Raiders end their season with a 25-8 record, tying the mark for second-most wins in program history.

The first nine points of the match went to Juniata. That deficit proved to be too large to overcome, as the Purple dropped the first set, 25-15. Mount Union led 21-18 in the second set, but Juniata scored seven of the final eight points to take the second set, 25-22. The Raiders continued to battle in their comeback attempt before dropping the final set, 25-21.

Freshmen Nicole Snyder (Mentor/Lake Catholic) had a team-best 10 kills. Sophomore Taylor Webb (Geneva/Geneva) and freshman Melanie Patterson (Mentor/Lake Catholic) added seven kills and six kills, respectively. Senior Julie Radigan (Olmsted Falls/Olmsted Falls) led Mount Union with 27 assists.

The Purple Raider defense was led by freshman Lauren Mastroine (Orrville/Orrville), who had 32 digs. Junior Kristen Gromes (Navarre/Fairless) added 11 for the Purple Raiders.

Rachelle Wiegand had 14 kills, Courtney Greenberg had 41 assists, and Libby Morrison had 27 digs) to lead Juniata.

Mount Union completes one of the most successful seasons in program history. The Raiders advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament for the second time in school history and also won its first ever Ohio Athletic Conference championship this season.

  Juniata (Pa.) def. Mount Union 25-16,25-22,25-21

  Mount Union (25-8) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Nicole Snyder 10-0-1; Taylor
  Webb 7-0-1; Melanie Patterson 6-0-0; Deanna Glass 5-0-2; Maya Brown
  3-0-1; Julie Radigan 3-0-1; Totals 34-0-3.0. (Assists) - Julie Radigan
  28. (Dig leaders) - Lauren Mastroine 26; Kristen Gromes 13; Nicole
  Snyder 8

  Juniata (Pa.) (27-7) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Rachelle Wiegand 14-0-1;
  Courtney Lydick 12-0-3; Kelsey Fuller 9-0-1; Amanda Schmidt 9-0-3;
  Amelia Kepler 5-0-1; Courtney Greenberg 0-2-1; Totals 49-2-6.0.
  (Assists) - Courtney Greenberg 42. (Dig leaders) - Libby Morrison 29;
  Brittani Young 13; Courtney Greenberg 10; Kelsey Fuller 9; Rachelle
  Wiegand 9

  Site: Aston, Pa. (The Mirenda Center)
  Date: Nov 12, 2011   Attend: 251   Time: 1:16   
  Referees: Michael Albright, Bill Stevens, Owen Reiley