SPRING ARBOR, Mich. – The Spring Arbor University volleyball team dropped a tough four-set match to visiting Mount Vernon Nazarene University (19-25, 25-22, 25-27, 22-25) in Crossroads League action on Friday night and fell in straight sets at Taylor University on Saturday.
Against Mount Vernon Nazarene, sophomore Rebekah Kujat posted 13 kills and freshman Courtney Kyser followed with a season-high nine – hitting at a .381 clip – to pace the Cougar attack. Setters Laura Hardy and Gabrielle Hilliard combined to hand out 35 assists, finishing with 18 and 17, respectively, while freshman Leah Rose registered four aces, giving her nine over the last two matches.
Senior libero Lyndsay Murray was outstanding picking up a season-best 31 digs to lead the defense, which held the high-powered MVNU Cougars to a .121 hitting percentage. Hilliard also finished the match with double-digit digs, collecting 12. Kyser added to her career-night recording seven blocks while sophomore Alexis Long and Rose had four apiece.
The Cougars fell behind 12-6 to begin the opening set and were never able to recover. Kujat helped fuel a rally, though, putting away four kills in the frame to help SAU narrow the gap to two 21-19. Mount Vernon would not allow the home team to get any closer, however, closing the set on a 4-0 run.
Spring Arbor got off to a torrid start in the second set behind some excellent serving from Rose. Behind Rose, the Cougars jumped out to a 5-0 advantage, and extended that margin to 8-1 following an ace from Hilliard. Mount Vernon would claw its way back though, tying the set at 16-16. The two teams traded points back and forth until consecutive kills from Rose gave SAU a 23-21 lead en route to evening the match at one set apiece.
In the third frame, Spring Arbor would once again pounce on MVNU early, building a 9-3 lead. The Cougars continued to hold one of the conference's best offensive teams in check with its terrific defensive play, and following a double block from Olivia Landis and Long SAU pulled ahead 12-6. However, MVNU rallied behind the Crossroads League kill leader Annelise Rohrer and battled back to tie the score at 16-16. After a pair of kills from Kyser, followed by two more from Long, the Cougars grabbed a 20-16 edge and looked to put the visitors away. Mount Vernon had one last rally in them, though, and after fighting off two set points, MVNU snuck out a close 27-25 win.
The Cougars came charging out of the gates again in the fourth set, opening a 7-3 lead. Mount Vernon weathered the storm, though, would use a 10-1 run to go up 15-9. The visitors eventually pushed their lead to 21-14. Spring Arbor would tally six of the next seven points to climb back within two, 22-20, but would ultimately fall 25-22.
In the match at Taylor, the third-place Trojans won in three sets 25-12, 25-14, 25-16.
Kujat had six kills and Long finished with three. Murray and Rose both ended the match with double-figure digs, recording 14 and 10, respectively.
Spring Arbor will travel to Bethel College on Wednesday, Oct. 22 before competing in the Aquinas College/Cornerstone University Classic in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Friday and Saturday.
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