LEXINGTON, Ky. – The Spalding University volleyball team dropped their first of two games Saturday, falling to Southern Virginia, 3-0.
 
THE BASICS
FINAL SCORE: Southern Virginia def. Spalding 3-0 (17-25, 17-25, 23-25)
LOCATION: Clive M. Beck Center, Lexington, Ky.
RECORDS: Spalding 0-4, Southern Virginia 1-3
 
THE STARTERS
SPALDING: 6 – Jessica Diehl, 7 – Erin Downs, 13 – Amanda Patterson, 16 – Ashley Chase, 18 – Cayla Hoehler, 33 – Victoria Hall
SOUTHERN VIRGINIA: 5 – Melissa Owen, 9 – Claire Houghtaling, 10 – Katelynn Tlustek, 11 – Hannah Phillips, 12 – Allison Tiegs, 13 – Emma Evans

HOW IT HAPPENED
SET 1
- The Golden Eagles led by two points early in the set when a Victoria Heitzman kill made the score 6-4.
- Southern Virginia put together a 12-4 run to take a 16-10 lead following a Melissa Owen service ace, and went on to take the set 25-16.

SET 2
- Spalding trailed from the opening serve falling behind 2-0 after a Chase blocking error and Diehl setting error.
- The Golden Eagles trailed by two at 17-15, but six unanswered Knights points capped off by an Allison Tiegs kill would put the game out of reach as SVU won the set 25-17 to go up two sets to none.

SET 3
- Cayla Hoehler and Kaylee McCartney, dropped in two service aces each to help Spalding get off to an 11-5 start in the third set.
- Similar to the second set, SVU answered with a big run taking nine of the next 10 points to take a 14-12 lead.
- SU battled back, tying the game at 15-15 on a kill by Chase, and would take a two-point lead following a pair of service aces by freshman Koti Weaver.
- Spalding held a two point lead at 22-20, but SVU scored four straight points to make it set point.
- A serving error got Spalding within one, but a Kaitlin Hall ball handling error gave the Knights the set and match.

KEY STATS
- Victoria Heitzman and Erin Downs led the Golden Eagle attack recording seven kills apiece.  
- Freshman Kaitlin Hall tallied a season 18 assists.
- Kaylee McCartney recorded a game-high four service aces.

UP NEXT
The Golden Eagles will play a rematch of last night's match with Transylvania at 3:00 p.m. EST at the Clive M. Beck Center in Lexington, Kentucky.