TIFFIN, Ohio—The Mount Union women's volleyball team defeated Heidelberg in five sets (25-16, 25-20, 23-25, 21-25 and 15-9) Saturday afternoon at the Seiberling Gymnasium.
 
The Purple Raiders (15-4, 2-1 OAC) were led by Darby Leininger (Beaumont / Chardon) who tied her career-high in kills with 17. Senior Maria Ellesin (Alliance / Marlington) finished with 16 kills while sophomore Heaven Bartell (Cleveland / St. Joseph Academy) finished with 13.
 
Senior setters Mollie Thomas (Massillon / Massillon Perry) and Katie May (Brecksville / Independence) paced the Raiders in assists with 34 and 23 respectively. Leininger finished with five block assists, sophomores Alexis Meyer (Avon Lake) had a solo block and four assisted blocks, and Catherine Klopp (Sycamore / Mohawk) finished with four assisted blocks.
 
Senior libero Alyssa Kasaris (North Royalton) picked up 21 digs while Bartell dug out 17 and Thomas finished with 13 total.
 
Heidelberg (6-13, 1-2 OAC) was led by Ashley Foster with 15 kills, Julianna Pena finished with 31 assists and Nicole Thomas had a game-high 25 digs.
 
In the first set Mount Union had five blocks with 13 kills and just three hitting errors hitting .345%. Mount Union forced Heidelberg into 10 hitting errors while just connecting on 10 kills for a hitting percentage of .000, Mount Union took the first set 25-16.
 
The second set went the same way for the Raiders with four blocks this time with 13 kills and five hitting errors for a hitting percentage of .216%. Heidelberg had 10 kills with seven hitting errors for a hitting percentage of .073. Mount Union grabbed the second set 25-20.
 
Heidelberg found a way around the Mount Union block connecting on 19 kills with six errors for a hitting percentage of .250. Meanwhile the Raiders cooled off with 16 kills on six errors for a hitting percentage of .189. Heidelberg won the third set 25-23.
 
Heidelberg in the fourth set made no hitting errors while having 16 kills for a .516 hitting percentage while Mount Union had 15 kills on five hitting errors for a hitting percentage of .294. Heidelberg took set four with a score of 25-21.
 
Mount Union in the fifth set found had nine kills with just two hitting errors for .333 hitting percentage while Heidelberg finished with seven kills and four hitting errors for .143 hitting percentage.
 
Mount Union will stay on the road heading to Marietta for OAC play on Wednesday October 12th with a 7 p.m. start time.