COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus Volleyball team rallied from a 2-1 set deficit as they defeated Muhlenberg in five sets (15-25, 25-13, 23-25, 25-23, 15-13) on Wednesday night in Centennial Conference action at Helfferich Hall.
 
 
With the win, the Bears improved to 8-8 overall and 1-1 in Centennial Conference action while earning their first win over the Mules since the 2003 season. Meanwhile, the Mules fell to 10-6 overall and 0-2 in conference action.
 
 
Sophomore Mel Eglinton and junior Caroline Sherman led the Bears with a match-high 16 kills apiece and Eglinton completed a kill-dig double-double with 11 digs. Eglinton also assisted on three blocks while Sherman posted eight digs. First-year Daejah Bazemore added seven kills and senior Haley Spotts recorded seven blocks and six kills. Junior Emma Illovsky led the Bears with a match-high 31 digs and junior Rachel Bernard paced the offense with 29 assists.
 
 
The Bears won the first two points of the first set before the Mules pulled ahead at 12-5 by winning 12 of the next 15 points. Ursinus got within four points twice at 15-11 and 17-13 but were unable to sustain the rally as the Mules won 8 of the last 10 points to cruise to a first set victory. Ursinus jumped on the Mules early in the second set by taking the first six points while extending their advantage to a commanding 15-3 lead. Muhlenberg won eight of the next 10 points to pull within six at 17-11, but the Bears slammed the door on the rally by taking eight of the next 10 points of their own to level the match at one.
 
 
It was the Mules that had a fast start to the next set as they went up 6-1 behind four points coming off errors. Ursinus won three points in a row to get within two at 6-4 before the Mules responded by winning six of the next seven points to go up 12-5. Muhlenberg took their largest lead of the set at 15-7 until the Bears stormed back by winning six of the next seven points to make it a 16-13 set. The Mules took four of the next six points to go up 20-15 but the Bears relentlessly battled back again as they won six of the next eight points to pull within one point at 22-21. Ursinus tied the set at 23 after a service error before Muhlenberg won the next two points to sneak away with the third set win.
 
 
The Bears won the first four points of the fourth set to take an early lead and fended off a first Mules run to go up 8-4. Ursinus worked their way out to an 11-5 lead before the Mules won five-straight points to force a timeout. Bazemore came out of the timeout with a kill, but Muhlenberg won four of the next five points to take their first lead of the fourth set at 14-13. The Mules surged ahead at 19-16 after some brief back and forth action, seemingly gaining control of the match. However, the Bears rallied once again with four-straight points to go up 20-19. Muhlenberg responded with three-straight points to go up 22-20 until the Bears won five of the next six points to force a fifth set behind four kills.
 
 
Ursinus won four-straight points to go up 5-2 in the fifth set before the Mules won four of the next five points to tie the set at six. The Bears won five of the next six points to go up 11-7 and forced a Mules timeout. After the teams traded kills, the Mules won three-straight points behind two aces to get within one point at 12-11. Eglinton tallied a pair of kills in response to put the Bears dramatically at match point holding a 14-12 lead. Muhlenberg kept the match alive with a kill, but Sherman ended the match with a kill of her own that landed in the back row, sending the Bears to the win.
 
 
Esmae Oehler led the Mules with 13 kills while adding nine digs and Christina Marcin tallied 10 kills and 17 digs. Alyssa Faville posted a team-high 21 digs while Jenny Ryan paced the offense with 21 assists.
 
 
 
The Bears return to action on Saturday, October 7th as they will travel to McDaniel for a tri-match. Ursinus will take on the Green Terror at noon before facing Eastern Mennonite at 2:00 p.m.