WILMINGTON, Ohio - Playing at Fred Raizk Arena for the first time during this 2021 spring season, the Wilmington College volleyball team fell to the University of Mount Union in a pair of straight-set Ohio Athletic Conference (OAC) matches on Friday evening. The Purple Raiders won match one 25-17, 25-22, 25-16 and took the nightcap 25-5, 25-15, 25-18.
Both teams hit a similar attack percentage in set one of game one with Mount Union putting down a dozen kills and a .185 attack percentage and Wilmington nine kills and a .167 attack percentage. The Purple Raiders heated up in sets two and three, however, posting a .417 clip in set two and putting down 16 kills with just one error in set three. Despite that, the Quakers nearly took set two as a Victoria Long kill off a set from McKenzie Stringer followed by a Purple Raider setting error made the score 23-22. After a timeout, two straight Mount Union kills ended the set.
Sofia Thomas led the way for Wilmington in match one, tallying 11 kills (and a .296 attack percentage), 10 assists, six digs and two aces. Bolender and Sydney Geibel added five kills each while Stringer dished out 14 assists. Joy Bebe added four blocks. A trio of Purple Raiders - Maria Ellesin, Julia Kerns and Maddie Wentz - had eight or more kills while Mollie Thomas and Katie Mary combined to dish out 39 assists.
Match two did not get off to a good start for the hosts as Madelin DeiBease served 14 straight points to put Mount Union up 16-1. Wilmington would turn the tables in set two as kills from Joy Bebe, Rachel Kennedy and Cierra Bolender forced a Purple Raider timeout with the Quakers up 14-9. Unfortunately for Wilmington, Mount Union put together another 16-1 run to close out the set. The visitors would ride that momemtum to a set three win and the sweep.
Ellesin was the lone individual to tally double-digits in kills for either side with a dozen. Thomas had six to lead the Quakers.
Wilmington (0-6) heads to Ohio Northern University on Tuesday.
