BEREA, Ohio -- The 10th-ranked Mount Union volleyball team clinched at least a share of its first-ever Ohio Athletic Conference title and the number one seed in next week's OAC Tournament with a three-set win (25-18, 25-20, 25-18) at Baldwin Wallace Tuesday in Berea.

Reigning OAC Player of the Week Nicole Snyder (Mentor/Lake Catholic) paced the Raiders with 11 kills.  Junior Taylor Webb (Geneva/Geneva) and sophomore Mel Patterson(Mentor/Lake Catholic) followed with 10.  Senior Kristen Gromes (Navarre/Fairless) led the way with a season-high 28 digs.  Freshman Kristen Kayser (Oregon/Clay) picked up 21 assists for Mount Union.

The Purple Raiders (21-5, 8-0 OAC) can claim the conference title outright with a win over Heidelberg Friday at 7 pm at home.

Mount Union will also host an OAC Tournament quarterfinal match versus the No. 8 seed next Tuesday, Oct. 30 at 7 pm and if it advances will keep home-court for the semifinals and finals next Friday and Saturday, Nov. 2-3.

                            Short Box Score (Match)

  Mount Union def. Baldwin Wallace 25-18,25-20,25-18

  Mount Union (21-5, 8-0 OAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Nicole Snyder
  11-1-0; Taylor Webb 10-0-3; Mel Patterson 10-0-0; Dee Glass 4-0-4;
  Mary Tout 3-0-1; Kara Berger 2-0-3; Kristen Gromes 0-2-0; Kristen
  Kayser 0-1-0; Lauren Mastroine 0-1-0; Totals 40-5-7.0. (Assists) -
  Kristen Kayser 21; Sarah Schleich 12. (Dig leaders) - Kristen Gromes
  28; Lauren Mastroine 14; Nicole Snyder 14; Mel Patterson 9

  Baldwin Wallace (12-16, 4-4 OAC) (Kills-aces-blocks) - Amanda Sawicki
  13-0-1; Rachel Switalski 7-0-1; Colleen Bonacci 5-0-0; Karianne
  Sifferlin 5-0-1; Natalie Emmons 1-1-0; Taylor Burns 1-0-0; Emily Nagle
  1-1-0; Savannah Moore 1-0-0; Totals 34-2-2.0. (Assists) - Emily Nagle
  29. (Dig leaders) - Natalie Emmons 28; Taylor Burns 14; Emily Nagle 9;
  Paige Pileski 8; Shannon Deleur 8

  Site: Berea, Ohio (Ursprung Gymnasium)
  Date: Oct 23, 2012   Attend: 185   Time: 1:15