The Case Western Reserve University volleyball team swept Hiram College 25-15, 25-16, 25-18 at Price Gymnasium in Hiram, Ohio in a non-conference match on Wednesday night to win their fifth straight contest and fourth in a row in three sets.
The Spartans improved to 18-4 with the win, while the Terriers dropped to 10-9.
First-year middle blocker Amanda Ngo led the Spartans with eight kills on a .533 hitting percentage while adding three solo blocks. First-year outside hitter Kalli Wall, junior middle blocker Jennifer Ngo, and sophomore outside hitter Rea Marfatia each had seven kills in the contest. Wall contributed a dig and two solo blocks, Marfatia had 11 digs, and Ngo added seven digs and two total blocks. Defensively, junior libero Alyssa Blessinger paced the squad with 13 digs. Sophomore setter Ansley Yamaato recorded her third double-double of the season, leading the team with 15 assists in addition to 12 digs.
A service ace from Blessinger gave the Spartans a six-point lead, 14-8, in the middle of the first set to cap a 5-1 CWRU run. Later in the set, Case Western Reserve would push its advantage to eight, 18-10, before four consecutive Hiram points prompted a timeout. The Spartans responded by winning seven of the next eight points to claim the first set. CWRU received contributions from their entire rotation down the stretch, with senior outside hitter Gianna Lambert and Amanda Ngo each recording a block and a kill, Jennifer Ngo adding a kill, and Marfatia contributing a kill.
A 7-2 Spartan run put the visitors up 15-8 in the second set and forced the Terriers to take a timeout. After the hosts cut their deficit to just four, Case Western Reserve again closed the set on a run to lead 2-0 in the match. Three of Amanda Ngo's eight kills came during the team's final five points, with Marfatia, Yamaato, Lambert, and senior setter Sara Rogers contributing kills during the run.
A Hiram service ace gave the Terriers a 12-10 lead in the third set. Following a CWRU timeout, Amanda and Jennifer Ngo combined for three kills to give the Spartans a 14-12 lead. Three straight Hiram points cut the team's deficit to one, 18-17, though that was the closest the Terriers would get. For the third consecutive set, the Spartans rallied at the end, winning the next five points and seven of the final eight to claim the match.
Case Western Reserve grew more efficient with each set offensively, finishing the third set with a .390 hitting percentage after a .282 hitting percentage in the second set and .276 hitting percentage in the first set. CWRU committed a season-low eight attacking errors as a team and hit .321 overall, its best percentage in a match since early September.
The Spartans will return to conference play on Sunday, traveling to Rochester, New York for the third and final University Athletic Association Round Robin. CWRU will face Carnegie Mellon at 12:00 p.m. and #4 WashU at 2:30 p.m.
