ALLAINCE, Ohio— Mount Union's women's volleyball team dropped its Ohio Athletic Conference regular season opener to Ohio Northern Saturday afternoon.
In a battle of two Ohio Athletic Conference teams that were receiving votes in the American Volleyball Coaches Association poll Mount Union (13-4, 0-1 OAC) were swept by Ohio Northern (11-5, 1-0 OAC) 25-19, 25-12 and 25-21.
The Purple Raiders were led on offense by senior
Maria Ellesin (Alliance / Marlington) and sophomore
Darby Leininger (Chardon / Beaumont) with seven kills each.
Senior setters
Mollie Thomas (Massillon / Massillon Perry) and
Katie May (Brecksville / Independence) both had double digit assists with 16 and 10. Sophomore
Alexis Meyer (Avon Lake) finished the day with six solo blocks and sophomore
Catherine Klopp (Sycamore / Mohawk) finished with three solo blocks.
Sophomores
Heaven Bartell (Cleveland / St. Joseph Academy) and
Katelyn Lesko (Mineral Ridge) led Mount Union with 14 and 12 digs while Thomas also picked up double digit digs with 10.
In the first set Mount Union and Ohio Northern had ties at points one to seven until a 6-0 run by Ohio Northern pushed their lead out to 12-7. Mount Union got within four twice with the last time being a kill from Ellesin at 16-12. Ohio Northern finished the set off with a kill to take a 25-19 win.
The second set saw Ohio Northern race out to a 9-2 lead. Mount Union got within five (13-8) on a 4-1 run thanks to a service ace from Meyer and a kill from Ellesin and senior Isabelle Sprunger (North Royalton). Ohio Northern then pushed the lead out to 19-9 with a 6-1 run and ending the game on a 5-1 run to take the set 25-12.
The third set saw the Raiders jump out to a 5-3 lead thanks to a kill each from Klopp, Leininger and Ellesin and two hitting errors from Ohio Northern. Ohio Northern got a 4-0 run as Mount Union quickly responded with a 4-1 run to tie the game up at 9. The game then was tied nine more times with the last being at 20 as Ohio Northern pushed out a 5-1 run to end the game at 25-21.
Mount Union now will regroup and take on Baldwin Wallace at home on Wednesday, October 5th at 7 p.m.
