ALLIANCE, Ohio – The Mount Union women's volleyball team picked up it's first Ohio Athletic Conference win of the season defeating John Carroll 3-1 (20-25, 25-20, 25-22 and 25-23) in four sets Wednesday night at the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex.
 
The Purple Raiders (14-4, 1-1 OAC) were led by freshman Heaven Bartell (Cleveland / St. Joseph Academy) who had 12 kills and 20 digs.
Freshman Darby Leininger (Chardon / Beaumont) finished with 10 kills and freshman Alexis Meyer (Avon Lake) finished with nine kills and five blocks.
 
Junior setters Mollie Thomas (Massillon / Massillon Perry) and Katie May (Brecksville / Independence) finished with 21 and 19 assists.
 
Junior libero Alyssa Kasaris (North Royalton) had a career-high in digs totaling 34 while Thomas picked up 16.
 
The first set was a back-and-forth battle between the two teams until John Carroll (9-12, 0-2 OAC) went on an 8-2 run jumping out to a 16-10 lead. Mount Union went on a 5-2 run to bring the score to 23-20 but two kills from John Carroll ended the set.

In the second set Mount Union jumped out to a 4-1 lead early on off of two errors from John Carroll. John Carroll took a 10-9 lead in the middle of the set. The Raiders ripped off an 8-1 run thanks to two kills from Leininger, Meyer and senior Maria Ellesin (Alliance / Marlington) and two attack errors once again from John Carroll. Mount Union finished the set off with a 5-1 run.

Mount Union once again jumped out to a 9-4 lead in the third set. John Carroll got within 1 point at 14-13 but a 3-0 run by the Raiders pushed the lead back out to 17-13. John Carroll made a 4-0 run to bring the score within 1 again but a kill from freshman Catherine Klopp (Sycamore / Mohawk) and an ace from Thomas finished the set.

The fourth set saw John Carroll make a 5-3 run to open the set. Two kills from junior Natalie Zucco (North Royalton) sparked a 5-0 run for the Raiders to take the lead 12-10. Both teams swapped serve nine straight times until a John Carroll error gave Mount Union a 24-21 lead that would end up being 25-23.

Mount Union will host another OAC match against Wilmington on Saturday, October 9th at 1 p.m. in the MAAC.