GRAND RAPIDS, Michigan – Mount Union's women's volleyball team, ranked No. 7 in the nation, lost their first two matches of the 2013 season to No. 13 Wittenberg, 3-1, and to No. 1 Calvin, 3-0, on Friday afternoon in the Van Noord Arena on the campus of Calvin College.

The Purple Raiders fall to 21-2 on the season as Wittenberg improves to 13-5 and Calvin improves to 20-0.

In the 23-25, 25-14, 25-19, 25-17 loss to No. 13 Wittenberg, the Raiders were led by junior Nicole Snyder (Mentor/Lake Catholic) who tallied eight kills and 14 digs. Sophomore Mary Tout (North Royalton/North Royalton), junior Mel Patterson (Mentor/Lake Catholic) and senior Taylor Webb (Geneva/Geneva) each notched eight kills. 

Juniors Brittany Woodard (Diamond/Southeast) and Sarah Schleich (Westfield Center/Cloverleaf) each dished out 14 assists as junior Lauren Mastroine (Orrville/Orrville) recorded 24 digs.

The Tigers were led by Kara Seidenstricker who had 18 kills and 12 digs as Meghan Vodopich tallied 38 assists and Katie Zito recorded 29 digs.

In the 25-23, 25-22, 25-21 loss to No. 1 Calvin, Snyder recorded nine kills and eight digs as Tout chipped in with 12 digs and six kills. Mastroine tallied 19 digs as Schleich dished out 18 asissts and Woodard with 11 assists.

The Knights were led offensively by Maggie Kemp who tallied 14 kills as teammate Megan Rietema recorded 36 assists and 11 digs. Kristen Zietse notched 19 digs for Calvin.

No. 7 Mount Union returns to action tomorrow, October 12 as they take on Bethany (W.Va.) at 11:00 a.m. and No. 2 Hope at 2:30 p.m. in the DeVos Fieldhouse on the campus of Hope College in Holland, Michigan for the second day of the Midwest Volleyball Tournament. 

Hope Tournament Page - http://athletics.hope.edu/sports/wvball/2013-14/photos/MidwestVolleyball

Live stats for Mount Union vs. Hope at 2:30 p.m. Saturday. - http://livestats.hope.edu/vb/

Short Box Score (Match)
#7 Mount Union vs #13 Wittenberg U. (Oct 11, 2013 at Grand Rapids, Mich.)
Wittenberg U. def. Mount Union 23-25,25-14,25-19,25-17

Mount Union (21-1) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Mary Tout 8-0-1; Nicole

Snyder 8-0-2; Mel Patterson 8-0-0; Taylor Webb 8-0-1; Sara Brown

4-0-0; Kara Berger 2-0-4; Lauren Mastroine 0-2-0; Sarah Schleich

0-1-0; Totals 38-3-4.0. (Assists) - Brittany Woodard 14; Sarah

Schleich 14. (Dig leaders) - Lauren Mastroine 24; Nicole Snyder 14;

Abby Riffee 11

Wittenberg U. (13-5) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Kara Seidenstricker 18-4-1;

Melissa Emming 12-1-1; Meghan Vodopich 9-1-1; Andrea Behling 9-3-1;

Camila Quinones 6-0-2; Emily Kahlig 5-0-4; Brooke Barney 1-0-0; Kiah

Murray 0-1-0; Totals 60-10-5.0. (Assists) - Meghan Vodopich 39. (Dig

leaders) - Katie Zito 29; Kiah Murray 15; Kara Seidenstricker 12;

Meghan Vodopich 9

Site: Grand Rapids, Mich. (Van Noord Arena)

Date: Oct 11, 2013 Attend: 97 Time: 1:35

Referees: Gretchen Galloway, Sharon Harris

Short Box Score (Match)
#7 Mount Union vs #1 Calvin College (Oct 11, 2013 at Grand Rapids, Mich.)
Calvin College def. Mount Union 25-23,25-22,25-21

Mount Union (21-2) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Nicole Snyder 9-0-1; Taylor

Webb 7-0-4; Mary Tout 6-0-1; Kara Berger 5-2-4; Mel Patterson 2-0-0;

Sara Brown 2-0-3; Lauren Mastroine 0-2-0; Allison Insana 0-1-0; Totals

31-5-7.0. (Assists) - Sarah Schleich 18; Brittany Woodard 11. (Dig

leaders) - Lauren Mastroine 19; Mary Tout 12; Nicole Snyder 8

Calvin College (20-0) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Maggie Kamp 14-1-3; Laura

Danhoff 8-1-0; Emily Crowe 8-0-5; Ellie Diepersloot 4-0-0; Megan

Rietema 4-0-2; Stacey Kamp 4-0-0; Laura Hop 0-2-0; Kristen Zietse

0-2-0; Totals 42-6-6.0. (Assists) - Megan Rietema 36. (Dig leaders) -

Kristen Zietse 19; Megan Rietema 11; Elise Biesboer 9; Jamie Kooiman 8

Site: Grand Rapids, Mich. (Van Noord Arena)

Date: Oct 11, 2013 Attend: 211 Time: 1:10

Referees: Sharron Harris, Jill Baker-Cooley