BURNABY, B.C. - The Simon Fraser University volleyball team battled through four sets with the Seattle Pacific Falcons but could not get the best of SPU, dropping the match three sets to one.
The Clan lost the opener 25-19 before tying the match in the second set with a 25-21 win, only to drop the third 25-23 and the fourth 25-17.
Kelsey Robinson (Surrey, B.C.) was the only member of the Clan to reach double figures in kills with 21.
Two members of the team achieved double figures in assists as
Tamara Nipp (Vancouver, B.C.) had 21 and
Brooklynn Gould-Bradbury (Seattle, Wash.) had 18.
Four players reached double digits in digs as Robinson led the team with 17, followed by
Alison McKay (Port Moody, B.C.) who had 14,
Alanna Chan (Port Moody, B.C.) who had 13 and
Helen Yan (Port Moody, B.C.) who notched 11.
In the first set the score was tied five times in the early going but with the set at 10-10, Seattle Pacific was able to slowly pull away, outscoring the Clan 15-9 through the rest of the set to take the opener.
The Clan responded in set number two. After SPU scored the opening point the Clan scored the next four to take the lead. The home side took their largest lead of the set, eight, when an SPU attack error gave SFU a 13-5 lead, eventually taking the set by four.
The third set was a battle from start to finish. The score was tied 14 times in the set before the Falcons pulled away from the Clan late and made the score 24-20. Facing set point, the Clan pulled within one with three straight points to make it 24-23 but SPU managed to take the set by two.
In the fourth and final set the Clan battled hard but SPU proved too much for SFU on this night, taking the set, and the match three sets to two.
With the loss, the Clan drop to 9-7 on the season and 4-6 in Great Northwest Athletic Conference play.
The Clan will hit the road next week, traveling to visit the Northwest Nazarene Crusaders on Thursday and the Central Washington Wildcats on Saturday.
