Contact: Tim Ertle

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Box Score
 
SHAKER HEIGHTS, Ohio – Senior Alex Leister posted her second straight double-double but it wasn't enough at Ursuline College's comeback bid came up just short against the visitors from Kentucky Wesleyan College in Friday (Nov. 1) night's Great Midwest Athletic Conference volleyball showdown.

KWC took the match in five sets to improve to 19-6 overall and 8-2 in conference play.

Ursuline, winners in five of its last seven, is now 15-14 overall and 4-6 in the G-MAC.
Ursuline won the first set 25-23 before Kentucky Wesleyan took the next two, 25-11 and 25-17. Donna Day's team wouldn't go away easily despite trailing 18-14 in the fourth set. The Arrows clawed their way back and were facing match point down 24-23 but kills from freshman Makayla Windau and junior Elise Harcek with a KWC attack error sandwiched in between gave UC the fourth frame victory, 26-24, and forced a deciding fifth set.

In the clincher, the two teams were tied at 6-6 before the Panthers rattled off four straight points to gain some separation. After the teams traded points back and forth, UC cut the deficit to just one at 13-12 but KWC won the next two points to secure the 15-12 fifth set win and thus the victory.

Leister's season-high 17 kills and 13 digs earned her a second straight double-double after Tuesday's (Oct. 29) 15 kill, 11 dig showing against Notre Dame College. This was the second time this season that Leister recorded a double-double against KWC after 13 kills and 15 digs in the Oct. 5 showdown that the Panthers won in four.

Freshman Emily Adkinson had 10 kills in the losing effort, tying her career-high. The rookie from Shelby, Ohio, also posted 10 kills against Bloomfield College (Sep. 14) and Oberlin College (Oct. 23). Windau chipped in nine kills and 10 digs to help the Ursuline cause.

Junior Molly Hilfinger tied her career-high – which came against KWC in the first meeting this season – with eight kills to go with 37 assists. Defensively, junior Kelly Stenger had 18 digs, five more than sophomore defensive specialist Jaclyn Brandt.

KWC was led by 17 kills from Nikki Jenkins and 15 from Dallas Zimmerman while Summer Alford (14) and Bridget Johnson (12) also reached double figures. Jordan Rickert was credited with 59 assists and Hannah Hudnall paced the defense with a match-high 23 digs.

Ursuline's final "home" regular season match – which will be held at Laurel School's Lyman Circle Campus – is tomorrow (Nov. 2) at 4:00 p.m. against Trevecca Nazarene University.

Max Radigan will provide free play-by-play on the Ursuline College Sports Network.