DELAWARE, Ohio – The Ohio Wesleyan University volleyball team returned home on Sunday to host Hanover. The Battling Bishops seemed to have the upper hand in the middle sets but Hanover never went away, with the game going to five sets and ultimately ending with a 3-2 win for the visitors.

OWU drops to 8-12 (2-1 NCAC) on the season. Hanover moves to 13-8 (1-1 HCAC).

The Bishops got off to a decent start in set one as they battled back to take a 20-19 lead, but Hanover ended up pulling away and taking the set 25-22. The Red and Black did bounce back in set two as they used a number of runs to win the set 25-20.

OWU looked to make it two in a row in set three, building up to a 24-17 set-point lead. However, Hanover went on a run once again and took the set 27-25. Set four was a much different story as the Bishops put together a six-point run, ultimately building up their lead to 24-17 once again before finishing the Panthers off 25-18.

And so it all came down to a fifth set that saw Ohio Wesleyan struggle at the start, falling into a deficit that was just too big to climb out of. In the end, OWU would drop the set 15-9 and the match 3-2.

THE NUMBERS
The OWU offense was led by Natalie Dieball with 14 of the team's 60 kills. Mason Campbell was close behind with 12, followed by Abby Nulph with 11.

Lily Bechina was the leading setter with a season-high 46 assists.

The Bishops dropped in six aces from the service line, led by Nulph with three. Campbell, Dieball, and Maggi Wall each had one.

On the defensive end, the Red and Black recorded 10 blocks, tying their largest five-set total this season. Reagan Brake led the way with seven, joined by Jordanne Shannon with five, and Nulph with four.

Ohio Wesleyan ended with 86 digs, led by Dieball with a season-high 18, Bella Guzzetta with 16, and Lily Bechina with 15.

UP NEXT
The Bishops get back on the court on Thursday as they head down to Cincinnati for a non-conference match with Mount St. Joseph.