ALLIANCE, Ohio -- The 16th-ranked Mount Union volleyball team collected its 14th win of the season by defeating Ohio Athletic Conference rival Ohio Northern in four sets (20-25, 25-16, 25-22, 25-23).

For the Purple Raiders, the win improved their overall record to 14-4 and OAC record to 1-0.

Leading the way for Mount Union in the kills category were Nicole Snyder (Mentor/Lake Catholic) and Mel Patterson (Mentor/Lake Catholic) who recorded 18 and 14 kills, respectively.  Taylor Webb (Geneva/Geneva) posted 11 kills.

Lauren Mastroine (Orrville/Orrville) had 26 digs for the Raiders, while senior Kristen Gromes (Navarre/Fairless) had 25. 

Sophomores Brittany Woodard (Diamond/Southeast) and Sarah Schleich (Westfield Center/Cloverleaf) led the Raiders in the assist category.  Woodard tallied 32 assists and Schleich finished with 25.

Ohio Northern fell to 17-4 overall and 1-1 in the OAC.

Mount Union next takes the court on Wednesday night (Oct. 3) in Marietta, Ohio, to face the Pioneers for its second OAC contest of the season.  The match against Marietta comes two days before the Raiders square off in a showdown against third-ranked Wittenberg in Springfield, Ohio, on Friday night (Oct. 5).

                            Short Box Score (Match)
                          2012 Mount Union Volleyball
       Ohio Northern vs #16 Mount Union (Sep 29, 2012 at Alliance, Ohio)

  Mount Union def. Ohio Northern 20-25,25-16,25-22,25-23

  Ohio Northern (17-4 (1-1 OAC)) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Ellen Grenert
  11-0-2; Ellie Gillespie 9-0-1; Kristen Davidson 8-0-1; Kaitlann
  Hogrefe 6-1-2; Anna Ricker 3-0-0; Kelsie Zumberger 2-1-0; Julia Fuerst
  1-0-3; Heather Saunier 1-0-0; Totals 41-2-5.0. (Assists) - Kelsie
  Zumberger 34. (Dig leaders) - Jeni Kmic 29; Ellie Gillespie 16; Kelsie
  Zumberger 14; Heather Saunier 9

  Mount Union (14-4 (1-0 OAC)) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Nicole Snyder
  18-0-2; Mel Patterson 14-2-1; Taylor Webb 11-0-3; Dee Glass 9-0-5;
  Mary Tout 7-0-3; Kara Berger 3-0-5; Sarah Schleich 2-0-0; Lauren
  Mastroine 2-1-0; Kendall Young 1-0-0; Brittany Woodard 1-0-0; Kristen
  Gromes 0-1-0; Totals 68-4-10.0. (Assists) - Brittany Woodard 32; Sarah
  Schleich 25. (Dig leaders) - Lauren Mastroine 26; Kristen Gromes 25;
  Brittany Woodard 11; Nicole Snyder 10; Sarah Schleich 8

  Site: Alliance, Ohio (The MAAC)
  Date: Sep 29, 2012   Attend: 416   Time: 1:57    
  Referees:
  Mount Union Volleyball 2012 OAC opener