CLEVELAND, Ohio – Sophomore middle hitter Natalie Southard (Buffalo, N.Y./City Honors School) totaled 31 kills, including a career-high 20 in the opener, as the Case Western Reserve University volleyball team improved to 6-0 for the season with a pair of victories on day one of the 14th Annual Marcia French Memorial Tournament on Friday evening at Horsburgh Gymnasium. The Spartans defeated John Carroll University in five sets then swept Franklin & Marshall College (Pa.).

Versus JCU, the Spartans blew through the opening set with a 25-16 victory, but JCU hit a streak midway through the second set and eventually edged the Spartans, 26-24. The set loss ended the Spartans' season-opening streak at 13.

In the third set, the Blue Streaks led 21-18 late before the Spartans rallied and won on back-to-back blocks—the first coming from Southard and senior right side hitter Hanna Collins (Londonderry, N.H./Londonderry)—the second coming from Southard and freshman outside hitter Carolyn Bogart (New Berlin, Wis./New Berlin Eisenhower). JCU then rallied to win the fourth, 27-25, but Case answered to win the deciding set, 15-9.

For the match, Southard posted the highest kills total of her young career with 20 versus just four errors in 36 attempts (.444). Bogart and freshman outside hitter Samantha Buddemeyer (Naples, Fla./Seacrest Country Day) also reached personal bests with 18 and 11, respectively.

Senior setter Breana Freeman (Geneva, Ohio/Geneva) paced the offense with a season-high 42 assists and contributed 16 digs to the defensive effort.

In addition, senior libero Rachel Gulasey (Cleveland, Ohio/Magnificat) led five in double-figures with 28 digs. Bogart contributed 15 for her first career double-double.

In their second match of the evening, the Spartans swept F&M by scores of 25-19, 25-12 and 27-25.

Bogart led the attack with 12 kills, while Southard was right behind with 11. Freeman ran the offense with 31 assists and now has 2,854 for her career—just 56 away from tying Susan Eungard (1996-00) for the most in program history.

Gulasey once again led the defense with 16 digs.

The Spartans wrap up the weekend with a pair of matches tomorrow versus The College of Wooster at 10:30 a.m. and Franciscan University at 12:30 p.m.