From Case Western Reserve University Athletics

Senior middle hitter Haley Kauffman (Hartville, Ohio/Lake) and senior outside hitter Carolyn Bogart (New Berlin, Wis./New Berlin Eisenhower) racked up 13 and 11 kills, respectively, to lead the Case Western Reserve University volleyball team to a 3-2 win versus local rival John Carroll University on Tuesday evening in University Heights, Ohio.

The Spartans begin the 2015 season 1-0 and head into a weekend of competition at the 2015 Otterbein Classic.

Kauffman scored 14.5 points for the match and added three blocks to the defensive effort. Bogart scored a team-high 15 points and contributed a team high three service aces and added two block assists.

CWRU lead by as many as seven in the first set after a block by Bogart and Kauffman followed by a successful attack by Kauffman for a 16-9 lead. After some back and forth play, the Blue Streaks were able to tie the set at 20-20, and would go on to win the first 25-22.

In the second, the Spartans hit the ignition with a service ace by Bogart to give the Spartans a 6-3 lead. JCU came back and tied the game at 18-18, but CWRU answered with a kill by senior setter Robyn Marks (Waterford, Mich./Waterford Mott) and an ace from senior libero Katie Best (Sewickley, Pa./North Allegheny). The Spartans would end the second 25-22 with a kill from senior right side hitter Danielle Witri (Lakewood, Ohio/Lakewood).

Despite a loss in the third set 25-20, the Spartans came back to win both the fourth (25-21) and the fifth (15-12) to open the 2015 season with a win.

While within just a few points in all statistical categories with all five sets being won with a difference of five or fewer points, the Spartans out-blocked the Blue Streaks 11-5 on the road to victory.