HUNTINGTON, Ind. – The Spring Arbor University volleyball team could not hold off a late surge by host Huntington University as the Cougars dropped a hard-fought five-set match 3-2 (24-26, 29-27, 25-23, 22-25, 12-15) inside Platt Arena on Saturday.
After dropping the opening set, the Cougars battled back to take sets two and three. However, the Foresters (4-3, 4-3 CL) would rally and edge SAU in the fourth frame before claiming the decisive fifth set to escape with its third straight win.
Junior Rebekah Kujat finished with a career-high 26 kills to lead the Cougars while sophomore Leah Rose added 16. Freshmen Kasey Follis and Annica Stotz directed the attack with a combined 56 assists. Follis registered 34 helpers and Stotz chipped in 22.
Defensively, Kayleigh Bytwerk recorded a match-high 28 digs, which was also a career-best for the senior. Three other Cougars ended the day with double-digit digs, including Rose with 19, Stotz with 13 and Follis with 10.
Prior to Saturday's match at Huntington, Spring Arbor visited Grace College (10-8, 2-4 CL) on Friday night and fell to the Lancers in three sets (10-25, 12-25, 22-25).
Kujat had six kills followed by sophomores Courtney Kyser and Olivia Landis with four apiece. Stotz tallied 10 assists while Follis handed out six, and Bytwerk and Rose notched a team-high eight digs.
After three straight matches on the road, Spring Arbor (4-13, 0-7 CL) returns home to host Goshen College () on Friday, Sept. 25 at 7 p.m.
Volleyball Contact: Chris Bauman | 517-750-6504 | christopher.bauman@arbor.edu
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