Jackets Push No. 25 MSJ to Four Games Before Coming Up Short

DEFIANCE, Ohio – Defiance took the first game against a nationally ranked Mount St. Joseph squad on Saturday, and held late leads in the third and fourth games but could not hold off the talented Lady Lions, falling 30-23, 20-30, 26-30, 30-32.

Lauren Aldridge tattered the MSJ defense for 19 kills in 39 attempts (.282%), narrowly missing a double-double performance by adding nine digs. Danielle Rego notched 14 kills to go with seven blocks and Corrie Farley registered a double-double with 11 kills and 19 digs.

As a team, the Jackets posted an attack percentage of .169 over 183 attempts while collecting 88 digs and 14.5 blocks.

MSJ had a trio of players reach double-figure kills as Ashley Langenkamp had 18 kills and only two errors in 34 tries (.471) while Katie Feldkamp and Anna Richter went for 15 and 14 kills. MSJ setter, Katie Playko, spread the offense nicely, piling up a match-high 56 assists.

The Lions hit .215 as a team in 195 swings and had 89 digs and 10 total blocks.

In the second match of the afternoon, the Yellow Jackets suffered a 30-13, 30-21, 31-29 sweep by the University of St. Francis.

Brooke Baker and Ashley Everhart led the Cougar attack, combining for 22 kills, 18 digs and four blocks while Mallory Brooks turned in a solid effort with eight kills and match-high 16 digs.

Aldridge led all DC players with eight kills while Farley and Diane Bruns bolstered the defense with 15 and 13 digs each. Bruns also piled up a trio of service aces and Rego added another three blocks.

Defiance (6-16, 0-3 HCAC) will be back in action on Thursday when it hosts Rose-Hulman in another HCAC battle. The contest is slated to begin at 6:30 pm inside the Weaner Center.