SOUTH BEND, Ind. --- Seeking the trifecta in league wins for the week, the University of St. Francis women's volleyball team came up just short on Saturday, dropping a 25-19, 25-14, 21-25, 28-26 Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference decision to Indiana University South Bend.
The Saints (12-9, 6-3 CCAC) entered the matchup on the heels of a five-set win over Olivet Nazarene University on Tuesday and a three-set victory against Governors State University on Thursday.
On Saturday, head coach
Cara Currier's club tried to rally after a slow start, but Indiana South Bend (9-11, 6-2) hung tough at the end to prevail. The Titans opened with back-to-back wins in the first two sets, using an 8-1 run to break an eight-all tie in the first set to pull away. In the second set, the hosts ran off nine of the first ten points and never looked back.
The Saints got back into the match in Set 3 opening with a 5-1 lead. Ties would ensue at 7, 8, 9 and 10 before
Aaliyah Montgomery and
Desiree Anderson fueled a 4-0 spurt with kills to go up 14-10. Indiana South Bend would get no closer than two points the rest of the set.
St. Francis then looked to be on the verge of sending the match to a fifth set, leading 20-14, only to have Indiana South Bend go on an 8-2 run to force a 22-all tie. The Saints would have two more chances to extend the match with game-point opportunities, but could not get the elusive final point as Indiana South Bend closed the match on a 6-2 run.
Gabriela Oliveira connected on a team-high 14 kills for St. Francis. She just missed out on a double-double with her nine digs.Â
Hannah Pacheco also came up just short of that feat with her 25 assists and eight digs. Â Â
Kaylie Sippel and
Hannah Monfre tied for the team lead in digs with 12 each. Anderson contributed 11 kills.
Notes: Pacheco's 25 assists were a season high and the third most for her career … The match was the start of an 11-game road trip for the Saints, who are back in action on Tuesday in Elgin to face Judson University in a CCAC affair.
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