Box Score 1 | Box Score 2 MEADVILLE, Pa. – The Gators closed out the 2013 home schedule with their third game in two days, dropping a 3-0 North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) matchup against No. 12 Wittenberg before United Athletic Association (UAA) member Case Western Reserve swept Allegheny to close the tri-match schedule on Saturday afternoon at the David V. Wise Center.

Sophomore Baylie Sheppard led the Gators with 13 kills, averaging 2.17 per set, while recording 11 digs in six sets played.  Fellow second year Taylor Samuel led the Gators with five service aces, picking up 14 digs while adding six kills.  Freshman Bailey Gawley continued her momentum from a six-block performance against DePauw on Friday, picking up two solo stops and a block assist to close the week with nine blocks, adding six kills. 

Junior Catherine Kasianowicz averaged 4.67 digs per set, finishing the two-match schedule with 28 digs, while sophomore Jessica Napierata recorded a 33-assist performance.

Wittenberg opened the match with a 10-5 first set lead, ultimately building the lead to 16-13 lead before an attack error placed Sheppard at the service line.  The sophomore responded with a five-point run that gave the Gators a two-point lead over the reigning NCAC tournament champions in the first.  The Tigers and Gators continued to battle before a seven-point run gave Wittenberg the cushion needed to pick up a 25-21 first set win. 

Allegheny raced out to a 7-2 lead in the second set before another multi-point run by the Tigers tied the match, 8-8.  Another seven-point run built the Wittenberg lead to 18-13, and the Tigers defense was able to keep Allegheny off the board as Wittenberg picked up a 25-16 second set win, closing the deal with a 25-12 win in the third.

Against the Spartans, an early 4-1, first set advantage was quickly washed away as a 12-2 Case Western Reserve run resulted in a 17-10 lead.  Case ultimately held the Gators off after a late rally to win the first set, 25-20.  The Spartans erupted in the second set with an 8-0, set-opening lead, picking up a two-set advantage with the 25-16 decision. 

Samuel led the Gators in the third set, serving a six-point run that gave the team a 6-3 lead early in the set.  The Allegheny defense shut down several opportunities from the Spartans to pull away, as another strong serving run by Samuel, started by back-to-back service aces, gave the Gators a 17-15 lead.  After breaking Samuel's serve, the Spartans used a four-point run of their own to re-take the lead while keeping the Gators off of the service line.  Case completed the sweep with a 25-23 third set victory.

The Gators will next travel to Wooster on Oct. 30 for a 7 p.m. matchup before closing the regular season on Saturday, Nov. 2 against Carnegie Mellon.