ALLIANCE, Ohio – Mount Union Women's Volleyball started the season off with a pair of wins over Wooster and Brockport (N.Y.) Friday afternoon at the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex.
In the first match of the season Mount Union beat Wooster (1-2) 25-20, 25-17 and 25-22. Freshman
Darby Leininger (Chardon / Beaumont) lead the Purple Raiders (2-0) in kills with 11 while senior
Maria Ellesin (Alliance / Marlington) and freshman
Heaven Bartell (Cleveland / St. Joseph Academy) added eight kills each.
Junior setters
Katie May (Brecksville / Independence) and
Mollie Thomas (Massillon / Massillon Perry) had 17 and 16 assists while junior libero
Alyssa Kasaris (North Royalton) finished with a team-high 13 digs.
The second game Brockport (N.Y.) (1-1), who is receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association (AVCA) preseason poll, took the first set 25-19 with the next three sets going to Mount Union in 25-17, 25-20, and 25-10.
Ellesin took over the kills this match with 12, Bartell finished with 11 and Leininger picked up eight kills.
Thomas and May flipped spots with assists where Thomas finished with 19 and May with 18.
Kasaris in the back row picked up 23 digs while Thomas had 15.
Freshman
Alexis Meyer (Avon Lake) had three blocks in the second match for the Raiders while Leininger finished with four aces.
Mount Union will continue its Invitational tomorrow, Saturday, September 4, with matches against Thiel (Pa.) at 10 a.m. and SUNY Geneseo (N.Y.) at 2 p.m. in the MAAC.
