ADRIAN, Mich. -- The Siena Heights women's volleyball team battled undefeated Cornerstone to five sets in the SHU Fieldhouse on Wednesday night. The Saints fell just short of taking the match as the Golden Eagles pulled out a 15-10 win in the fifth set to get the win. Janel Ruhlman (North Branch, Mich.) recorded 10 kills and 15 digs for a double-double in the losing effort.
THE BASICS
Final Score: Cornerstone 3, Siena Heights 2 (25-21, 21-25, 25-17, 18-25, 15-10)
Location: Adrian, Michigan (SHU Fieldhouse)
Records: Cornerstone (11-0, 7-0), Siena Heights (3-2, 3-2)
HOW IT HAPPENED
The score remained close in the first set until an 8-0 run by the Golden Eagles gave them an 18-13 lead and proved to be the difference in a 25-21 decision that put Cornerstone ahead 1-0.
The Saints used a 3-0 run and two 4-0 runs to build a 22-15 lead over the visitors. A 3-0 run by the Golden Eagles cut the Saint lead to 22-19, but Siena held on for the 25-21 win and tied the set-score at one game each.
Cornerstone earned an early 9-4 lead before two 4-0 runs helped them push forward with a 20-13 lead and never looked back to take the 2-1 advantage into the fourth set.
Siena Heights flipped the script from the third and build a commanding 17-7 lead in the fourth that forced the Golden Eagles to take their final timeout of the game. The scoring margin moved back down to single digits, but Cornerstone couldn't catch the Saints as they forced a decisive fifth set with a 25-17 win in the fourth.
The fifth saw six ties, the final one was a 9-9 deadlock. The Golden Eagles gained an 11-10 lead and then finished things with a 4-0 run to escape with the win.
TOP SAINTS
• Ruhlman was the only Saint player to have double-digit kills in the match. She also added two aces and an assist to her stat-line.
• Sam Huddleston (21), Aubrey Bates (19), and Karsyn Wolf (10) helped lead the Saints defensive with double-digit digs.
• Katelyn Ferris finished with five blocks. Bates totaled four.
THE OPPOSITION
• Kaylee Dykema led Cornerstone in kills with 15. Patsy Morris led in digs with 28 and Alexis Angus had seven blocks.
UP NEXT
The Saints have their first road match on Friday, February 26 when they play Rochester at 7:00 p.m., EST. That match was moved from February 16 due to inclement weather.
