TIFFIN, Ohio – The Mount Union women's volleyball team (5-9, 5-9 OAC) split a pair at Heidelberg (6-8, 6-8 OAC) as senior Madelin DiBease (Perry / Perry) captured her 1,000^th career kill as her second kill in the first set of match one.

The Purple Raiders captured the first match in three straight sets but dropped to the Student Princes in five sets in match two.

Match One

The Raiders were led by senior DiBease who had her third straight double-double as she tallied up 12 kills and 14 digs on the match. Junior Maria Ellesin (Alliance / Marlington) had 13 kills and sophomore Mollie Thomas (Massillon / Massillon Perry)) dished out 21 assists. Defensively, sophomore libero Alyssa Kasaris (North Royalton / North Royalton) led the way collecting 19 digs.

Mount Union remained tight with Heidelberg throughout the first set, and began to pull away off a kill by DiBease to put the Raiders up 22-19. The Student Princes came charging back but a bad set by Heidelberg resulted in a first set win 25-23. The teams remained neck and neck through set two but the Raiders capitalized on a kill by Ellesin followed by two Heidelberg errors to take the 25-23 win. Heidelberg went on a short 3-0 run to start the third set, but Mount Union answered with a 5-0 run of their own to claim the 6-3 early lead. A kill by sophomore Isabella Sprunger (North Royalton) gave the Raiders a three-point lead at 20-17. After a short Heidelberg run, the Raiders secured the match win 25-23 of a kill by Maddie Wentz (Copley / Akron Hoban).

Match Two

The Raiders were led by DiBease who secured her fourth straight double-double tallying up 17 kills and 22 digs on the five-set match. Three other Raiders were in double digits as Sprunger collected 13 kills, Ellesin tallied up 12, and freshman Brynne Limes (Weston / Ostego) had 10. Thomas again led the way dishing out 28 assists, followed closely behind was fellow sophomore setter Katie May (Independence / Independence) who had 26. Defensively, Kasaris tallied up 33 digs for the Raiders.

Heidelberg went on a 4-0 to start the second match, broken up by a kill from Ellesin. The Student Princes maintained control of the set as they claimed the 25-17 win. Mount Union kept tight with Heidelberg in set two and pulled away as they went on a 5-0 run to go up 11-6 sparked by a kill from Sprunger. The Student Princes fought back as they tied it up 20 apiece, but the Raiders pulled away to secure the 25-23 win off back-to-back Raider kills. A 7-1 for the Raiders extended their set three lead to 15-8. The Student Princes chipped back, but Mount Union secured a 3-0 run and secured the set three win off a kill by DiBease 25-19. Heidelberg broke away quick in the fourth set, and maintained their momentum, and forced a fifth set with a score of 25-23. The fifth set remained back and forth, but the Student Princes were able to find two straight kills to claim the match win with a fifth set score of 18-16.

Mount Union will continue their OAC season as they host Baldwin-Wallace in a doubleheader on Tuesday, April 6 with matches set to begin at 6 and 8 pm at the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex.