Behind a career day from junior middle blocker Jennifer Ngo, the Case Western Reserve University volleyball team beat the University of Mount Union 3-2 on Wednesday night inside Horsburgh Gymnasium in five sets, 25-16, 25-19, 14-25, 21-25, 15-13.

The Spartans improved to 4-1 on the season, while the Purple Raiders dropped to 2-2. It was the first CWRU win over the Mount Union since the 2015 season.

Ngo set a new career high with 23 kills and had a single-game career-best .559 hitting percentage. She was also active at the net, blocking eight attacks. Leading the team in digs was junior libero Alyssa Blessinger with 24, while sophomore outside hitter Rea Marfatia (14) and sophomore setter Ansley Yamaato (10) each tallied double-digit dig totals. Yamaato and senior setter Sara Rogers split the assists, with Yamaato recording 28 and Rogers adding 27. First-year middle blocker/right side hitter Amanda Ngo recorded 12 kills with a .385 hitting percentage, a career best.

After leading two sets to none, the Spartans found themselves down 7-4 in a decisive fifth set. The team won the next five points to claim a two-point advantage, using a combination of kills and Purple Raider errors. After Mount Union tied the score at nine, the teams traded points to put the score at 12-12. The visitors took the next point to force a CWRU timeout. Jennifer Ngo delivered a kill to tie the score at 13 and spark a three-point Spartan run to end the set and the match.

Case Western Reserve started the match strong, opening with a 7-0 run. Mount Union cut the Spartan lead to just two, 16-14, in the middle of the set. However, the hosts earned the next four points to open up a six-point advantage. Following two Purple Raider points, CWRU won the next five points to claim the set 25-16.

The Spartans used the momentum from the first set to open a 6-1 lead in the second set with two kills each from Jennifer Ngo and senior outside/right side hitter Gianna Lambert. The visitors rallied back with an 11-3 run to take their first lead of the match, 12-9. Following a CWRU timeout, the Spartans took a 15-14 lead with a 6-2 run. After dropping the next point, Case Western Reserve won 10 of the final 14 points to claim the second set 25-19. Jennifer Ngo finished the set strong, earning five kills in the final 10 Spartan points.

Mount Union started the third set with an 11-0 run that finally ended with a kill by Amanda Ngo. CWRU was able to cut the deficit to seven, 17-10, but the Purple Raiders won eight of the next 12 points to stay alive in the match.

Neither team led by more than six points in the fourth set. Mount Union opened a 7-4 lead early but kills from Marfatia and Amanda Ngo trimmed the deficit to one. The visitors forced a Spartan timeout when they pushed the advantage to five at 12-7. The teams traded points until the Purple Raiders won three in a row to take a 17-11 lead. Behind a 9-5 run, the Spartans trimmed the deficit to just two, 22-20, at the end of the set. However, the Purple Raiders ended the set on a 3-1 run to force the fifth set.

The Spartans will continue their five-match homestand on Friday when the team starts the CWRU Quad against Medaille at 5:30 p.m. inside Horsburgh Gymnasium. Action resumes at 10 a.m. on Saturday with the hosts taking on Saint Vincent and Buffalo State facing Medaille.