DELAWARE, Ohio – The Ohio Wesleyan Battling Bishops spoiled the Gators' North Coast Athletic Conference (NCAC) opener, upending Allegheny, 3-0, on Saturday afternoon at Branch Rickey Arena.  The Gators fell, 25-22, in set one, before the Bishops closed out the match with 25-18 and 25-9 second and third set wins, respectively.

Senior Catherine Kasianowicz picked up 11 digs for the Gators, as freshmen Terra Schall, Justine Kelly and Christa Cash each picked up six digs each.  Kelly added a team-high 11 assist while junior Taylor Samuel scored a team-high five kills.  Freshman Alyssa Lebowitz led the Gators with three total blocks, including a pair of solo stops, as fellow first year Leah Franzluebbers also assisted on a pair of blocks.

Allegheny led, 16-9, in the first set, but the Battling Bishops began clawing their way back into the set, as five unanswered points brought OWU to within three. Trailing, 20-16, Ohio Wesleyan won the set with a 7-2 run, capped with four unanswered points.

Trailing, 7-3, in the second set, Allegheny rallied to tie the set at 12-12 after a 6-2 run.  Ohio Wesleyan responded with a 9-2 run to take a 21-14 advantage.  A late run under serve from freshman Kylee Karczewski brought the Gators to within four, but Ohio Wesleyan finished the set with a 4-1 run to gain a 2-0 lead.  The Battling Bishops used eight unanswered points to take a 16-3 lead in the third, ending the match on a 6-2, contest-ending run.

The Gators will travel to Pitt-Bradford for a 7 p.m. match on Sept. 24 before heading to Washington, D.C. for the Worthington Classic, hosted by Gallaudet University, on Sept. 26 and 27.