Perfect Weekend For Volleyball With Tourney Title

Monica Hupertz and Melissa Mahnke were named to the All-Tournament Team.  Mahnke was also tournament MVP.

(ALLIANCE, OH)--Mount Union College's volleyball team posted four-straight shutouts including 3-0 wins over Aurora (IL) University, 3-0 (25-16, 25-18, 25-16) and Case Western Reserve (25-13, 25-15, 25-23) Saturday to win the Mount Union Invitational in Alliance, Ohio.

The Raiders, 4-0 to start the season, were led by senior outside hitter Melissa Mahnke (North Royalton/North Royalton) who tallied 56 kills and 41 digs for the weekend on her way to All-Tournament and Tournament MVP honors. 

Sophomore outside hitter Monica Hupertz (Willoughby Hills/Beaumont) was second on the team in kills (25) and hitting percentage (.317) to also land on the All-Tournament team. 

In the title match versus Case Western Reserve (2-2), Mahnke had 15 kills, fellow senior Sarah Parker (Geneva/Geneva) had four blocks, while sophomores Sarah Dean (Strongsville/Walsh Jesuit) with 18 digs and Carly Defibaugh (Powell/Worthington Kilbourne) tallied 16 assists to pace the Raiders.

Against Aurora (1-3), Mahnke notched a team-best 13 kills and 16 digs, while  freshman setter Julie Radigan (Olmsted Falls/Olmsted Falls) had 24 assists.

Next weekend the Raiders play at the Emory Classic in Atlanta, GA.