MARIETTA, Ohio – Junior two-time first-team All-Ohio Athletic Conference outside hitter Alicia Lortcher (Norwalk) recorded her 1,000th career kill as the Baldwin Wallace University volleyball team won its Ohio Athletic Conference opener over Marietta College inside Ban Johnson Arena. 

Lortcher became the 10th player in school history to record 1,000 career kills when she hammered down her seventh kill of the match.  She is 10 kills shy of ninth place all-time. Lortcher is also nearing her second career milestone as she is 29 digs shy of becoming the 15th player to tally 1,000 career digs.

BW (20-0, 1-0 OAC), who is off to the best start in school history and who has only dropped six sets all season, defeated Marietta (8-11, 0-1 OAC) by scores of 25-14, 25-23 and 27-25. 

The Yellow Jacket offensive attack was led by sophomore outside hitter Allyson Smith (Macedonia/Walsh Jesuit) as she knocked down 13 kills.  Lortcher (Norwalk) recorded nine kills and senior All-OAC right side hitter Ellen Hawkins (Worthington/Thomas Worthington) contributed six kills.  Freshman setter Kathleen Egan (Cleveland/Beaumont) ran the offense with a match-best 26 assists,

The BW back line was controlled by freshman libero Sarah Reinhard (Willoughby/South) as she dug out a match-best 17 balls.   Egan tallied 10 digs and freshman defensive specialist Whitney Wallace (Salem/West Branch) added seven digs.

BW is back in action on Friday, September 29 when it travels to Buffalo, New York for a non-conference game against D'Youville College in College Center Gymnasium at 7 p.m.  The Yellow Jackets remain in New York on Saturday, September 30 when they play a pair of non-conference matches against Grove City (Pa.) College and Alfred State (N.Y.) University in College Center Gymnasium at 11:00 a.m. and 1:00 p.m., respectively.

BW returns to OAC action on Tuesday, October 3 when it hosts the University of Mount Union in Ursprung Gymnasium at 7 p.m.