ALLIANCE, OH – The Buffalo State women's volleyball team opened the 2023 season on Friday evening at the Mount Union Tournament, falling by set scores of 3-0 to Ohio Wesleyan and 3-1 to Marietta.
 
GAME TWO BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Marietta – 3, Buffalo State – 1
SET SCORES: (22-25, 25-14, 25-15, 25-13)
LOCATION: McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex – Alliance, OH
RECORDS: Marietta (1-0), Buffalo State (0-2)
 
INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• Ella Wittman (Cheektowaga, NY/Springville Griffith) led the Bengals with 16 kills in just her second collegiate match. She also chipped in 11 digs.
• Adi Vergara (Rio Grande, Puerto Rico/Kingdom Christian) had 14 digs to pace the Buffalo State defense.
• Karlie Shaffer (Smithtown, NY/Smithtown East) dished out 27 assists and recorded 11 digs.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• The Bengals raced out to a 6-0 behind the serving of Shaffer and four kills by Wittman.
• Buffalo State extended the lead to as many as eight at 17-9 and held off a late rally by Marietta thanks to back-to-back kills by Eden Harrison (Eldersburg, MD/Century) and Wittman.
• The Pioneers turned a one-point edge in the second set into a convincing victory by winning 14 of the final 18 points.
• With the Bengals trailing 10-8 in the third set, Marietta once again began a run to pull away with a 25-15 victory.
• The Pioneer won the first six points of the fourth set, before Harrison's kill finally got the Bengals on the board. Buffalo State pulled to with five at 9-4 thanks to kills by Erin Mergler (Amherst, NY/Williamsville North) and Wittman, but that was as close as the set would get as Marietta took control to win the match.

 
FOR THE FOES

• Jillian Fellers led Marietta with 15 kills, while Maggie Fellers and Mia Silva each recorded 12 kills.

 
GAME ONE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Ohio Wesleyan – 3, Buffalo State – 0
SET SCORES: (25-23, 25-10, 25-22)
LOCATION: McPherson Academic and Athletic Complex – Alliance, OH
RECORDS: Ohio Wesleyan (2-0), Buffalo State (0-1)
 
INSIDE THE BENGAL BOX SCORE

• Shaffer had 25 assists in the opening match of the season.
• Maddie Hannon (Elma, NY/Williamsville North) recorded 12 digs, while Mergler had three kills on just six attempts.

 
HOW IT HAPPENED

• Trailing late in the first set, the Bengals pulled to within one on five separate occasions, but were unable to equalize and fell by a score of 25-23.
• The Battling Bishops jump out to a large lead in the second set, and cruised to a 25-10 victory.
• A five-point run in the third set gave Buffalo State a 9-5 advantage.
• Ohio Wesleyan won nine of the next 10 points, shifting momentum on the way to a 25-22 victory to take the match.

 
UP NEXT
The Bengals finish play at the Mount Union Tournament tomorrow by taking on the hosts Mount Union at 10 am, before facing Albion at 12 pm.