INDIANAPOLIS – The Spring Arbor University women's volleyball team fell to Marian University 3-1 on Saturday afternoon, dropping the road match 23-25, 25-18, 25-21, 25-19.
The Cougars moved to 16-10 overall and 8-7 in the Crossroads League, while Marian improved to 19-11 overall and 9-6 in conference play.
Iyla Weeks led Spring Arbor with a career-high 14 kills.
Keely Hinzman added 12 kills on a .476 hitting percentage, committing just two errors in 21 attempts, and finished with four blocks and two service aces.
Isabelle Kirkendall contributed nine kills, 13 digs and four aces.
Camy Wedge recorded a double-double with 21 assists and a team-high 16 digs, while
Palmer Fortress added 11 digs and eight assists.
Gabby Bryja finished with 10 assists.
Spring Arbor overcame an early 10-4 deficit to win the opening set. Trailing 22-20 late, the Cougars took five of the final six points, sealing the 25-23 victory on a block by Weeks.
Marian answered by taking the second set before the teams battled through a close finish in the third. SAU erased a 16-10 deficit with seven consecutive points and later led 20-19. With the score tied at 21, however, the Knights scored four straight points to take a 2-1 lead in the match.
The Cougars remained within two at 17-15 in the fourth set before Marian pulled away to close out the victory.
Spring Arbor finished with 48 kills, 11 aces and nine blocks. Marian hit .312 compared to SAU's .179 and was led by Chloe Cook's 18 kills.
Spring Arbor returns home Wednesday, Oct. 28 to face Mount Vernon Nazarene University at 7 p.m.
