LOUISVILLE, Ky. – The Spalding University volleyball team dropped their season opener to cross-river foe Hanover College, 3-1, Tuesday night at Derek Smith Gymnasium (DSG).

THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Hanover def. Spalding 3-1 (26-24, 20-25, 25-22, 25-18)
LOCATION: Derek Smith Gymnasium (DSG), Louisville, Ky.
RECORDS: Spalding 1-0, Hanover 1-0
 
THE STARTERS
SPALDING: 6 – Jessica Diehl, 8 – Kaylee McCartney, 16 – Ashley Chase, 18 – Cayla Hoehler, 28 – Katelyn Cosgrove, 33 – Victoria Heitzman
HANOVER: 2 – Maddie Hartman, 3 – Kelsey Brandvik, 4 – Nicole Blevins, 7 – Abby Crump, 8 – Rachel Hasewinkel, 13 – Emily Ertel  
 
KEY MOMENTS
SET 1
- Trailing 24-21, junior Jessica Diehl followed a kill with a pair of service aces to even the score, 24-24.
- With the Golden Eagles facing set point, an Ashley Chase attack was called long when the ball looked to have touched the hand of Hanover's Kelsey Brandvik giving the Panther set one, 26-24.

SET 2
- Trailing 17-12, the Golden Eagles scored nine of the next 11 points taking a 21-19 lead following four consecutive kills by Diehl (3) and Ashley Chase (1).
- The Golden Eagles took four straight points to win take the second set 25-20 on a Diehl kill on a setup by Katelyn Cosgrove.

SET 3
- The Panthers started fast, jumping out to a 4-1 advantage on a kill by Margo Main.
- SU outscored Hanover 10-4. Victoria Heitzman capped off the run with three consecutive service aces to give Spalding an 11-8 lead.
- Leading 22-21, the Golden Eagles committed three consecutive attack errors giving the Panther set point, and lost set three, 25-22 on an Abby Crump service ace.

SET 4
- The Golden Eagles fell behind 5-0 to begin the fourth set.
- Back-to-back kills by Erin Downs and Heitzman cut the SU deficit to six points, but Hanover took the set, 25-18, to win the match. 

KEY STATS
- Jessica Diehl led the attack with 22 kills with a.514 kill percentage, marking the first time Diehl has eclipsed the 20 kill mark while at SU. Diehl also finished the match with five service aces.
- Junior Victoria Heitzman recorded a match-high six service aces. Heitzman's six aces in the first match total almost one third of her season total of 19 in 2014. Heitzman also added 14 digs and eight kills.
- Senior setter Katelyn Cosgrove earned her first assist-dig double-double on the season, and 18th of her career. 

UP NEXT
Spalding will head across the river Wednesday to face a familiar opponent in IU-Southeast at 7:00 p.m. EST at the Student Activities Building.