ALLIANCE, Ohio – The Cardinal volleyball team remained on the road and also remained perfect on the young season Friday night, sweeping host Mount Union across seven total sets inside the McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex.

Otterbein, jumping to 4-0 in Ohio Athletic Conference play, swept the Purple Raiders in the opener before rallying to claim the rematch in four sets. The Cards have now won four of the past five meetings in the series.

MATCH 1: (W 25-13, 25-15, 25-18)
Otterbein used a 5-0 run to break a 7-7 tie in the first set, and never looked back en route to building a 21-11 lead. The Cards finished off that first frame, and then opened a 10-5 lead to begin the second…

The Raiders only trailed 16-13 as the set approached its midway points, but Otterbein strung together a lopsided 8-0 run to effectively put things away. The Cards flipped a 5-5 deadlock in the third, winning four-straight points and keeping Mount at arm's length the rest of the way.

Four Cardinals tallied double-digit digs as Mount Union hit -.034 for the match. Julia Vermilion (15 digs, 11 kills), Morgan Hartman (13 digs, 11 kills) and setter Carlie Craycraft (30 assists, 14 digs) all paved the way with double-doubles.

MATCH 2: (W 24-26, 25-22, 25-11, 25-22)
Otterbein led 15-11 in the first set before Mount Union rallied to win its only game of the night. The Raiders responded to tie things at 16, 17, 19, 20, 21, 22, 23 and 24 before winning consecutive points.

The Raiders carried that momentum into the ensuing frame, leading 12-3 before the Cards came flying. Otterbein stormed back to tied the score at 15-15, then later broke a 21-21 deadlock by claiming four of the next five points.

Otterbein dominated the third set, leading 16-2 and 24-6 before a few late points by Mount Union shrunk the final margin. The Cards the narrowly emerged in a fourth set that saw a similar ending to the second.

Hartman (17 kills, 15 digs) was impressive again while Anna Donner added 16 kills for the offense, guided by 53 helpers from Craycraft. Vermilion added another double-double with 14 digs and 11 kills, and Emma Linehan had nine.

Another four Cardinals had digs surpassing double digits, led by 20 from libero Hillary Sterett and 19 from back-row companion Bridget Oder. The Cardinals hit .257 as a team throughout.

UP NEXT:
Otterbein will remain on the road to begin next week, heading to Marietta come Tuesday night for a pair of matches at 6 and 8 p.m.