Box Score
Ohio Wesleyan 3, Albion 2

Freshman outside hitter Natalie Dieball (Cincinnati/Lakota East) led a contingent of 4 Ohio Wesleyan players in double figures in kills as the Bishops defeated Albion during the first day of the NCAC/MIAA Challenge, hosted by Wittenberg University on Friday in Springfield.

The Bishops defeated the Britons by scores of 25-16, 27-25, 21-25, 22-25, 15-7.

Ohio Wesleyan pulled away with a 7-0 run in the first set, getting 3 kills by Dieball and an ace by senior middle blocker Claire Solberg (Huron) on the way to turning a 15-10 lead into a 22-10 margin.  With the score tied at 25 in the second set, senior right-side hitter Melissa Murray (Chardon/Notre Dame-Cathedral Latin) delivered a kill to put the Bishops ahead, and junior right-side hitter Grace Cummings (Columbus/Worthington Kilbourne) followed with a kill for a 2-0 Ohio Wesleyan lead in the match.  Albion stayed alive in the third set, breaking a 16-16 tie with 5 straight points that included 2 kills by Kaylynne Nicholson, and getting pair of kills from Olivia Alexander down the stretch to take the win.  A late 4-0 run that featured a pair of blocks from Ja'Nyece Larry helped the Britons hold off the Bishops in the fourth set.  Ohio Wesleyan raced to a 7-1 lead in the fifth set, with Dieball, Murray, and junior setter Olivia Osuna (Orlando, Fla./Phillips) recording kills and Solberg collecting 2 blocks, and Dieball and senior defensive specialist Neah White (Indianapolis, Ind./North Central) had aces down the stretch to help the Bishops finish off the set and the match.

Dieball led the Bishops with 18 kills, while Murray, Cummings, and junior middle blocker Ava Kutilek (Wilmette, Ill./New Trier) finished with 10 apiece.  Osuna recorded 32 assists and sophomore setter Lily Bechina (Chicago, Ill./Jones College Prep) finished with 24 assists.  Solberg had a team-high 6 blocks and senior outside hitter Kaitlyn Peters (Fort Wayne, Ind./Homestead) led Ohio Wesleyan with 23 digs.

Box Score