ALLIANCE, Ohio – Senior setter Breana Freeman (Geneva, Ohio/Geneva) broke the program record for career assists, but the Case Western Reserve University volleyball team suffered its first loss of the season by a score of 3-1 at No. 22 nationally-ranked University of Mount Union on Wednesday evening at The MAAC.

The Spartans (8-1) will look to get back to their winning ways with four matches in two days at the Allegheny Gator Invitational in Meadville, Pennsylvania this Friday and Saturday, September 14-15.

Mount Union (6-3) won by scores of 25-23, 23-25, 25-23 and 25-15.

Freeman entered the match with 2,903 assists for her career—seven behind Susan Eungard (1996-00) for the most in Spartan history. Midway through the first set, Freeman broke the record on a point that brought the score to 16-15 in favor of the hosts.

In the first set, the Spartans trailed 12-5 early but rallied to take a 17-16 lead on a service ace by freshman outside hitter Carolyn Bogart (New Berlin, Wis./New Berlin Eisenhower). The two sides then went back-and-forth before the host Purple Raiders broke a 23-23 tie with a pair of kills from Taylor Webb.  

In the second, Case held a slim lead most of the way and closed the set out with a block from Bogart and sophomore middle hitter Natalie Southard (Buffalo, N.Y./City Honors School).

The third set saw runs from each side, but it was Mount Union who scored five in a row late to move ahead 2-1. The Purple Raiders then closed the match out with several big runs in the fourth.

For the match, senior right side hitter Hanna Collins (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry) and Southard led the Spartan attack with 13 and 10 kills, respectively. Senior libero Rachel Gulasey (Cleveland, Ohio/Magnificat) led the defense with 22 digs.

Freeman finished with a double-double of 38 assists and 13 digs. The fourth-year Spartan now has 2,941 assists for her career.

Mount Union was paced by Nicole Snyder with 16 kills and 14 digs.

The Spartans open their weekend in Meadville on Friday versus host Allegheny College at 6:00 p.m. and Frostburg State University (Md.) at 8:00 p.m.