LATROBE, Pa -- The Washington & Jefferson College volleyball team was defeated in five sets in Presidents' Athletic Conference (PAC) play at Saint Vincent on Saturday afternoon.
 
Saint Vincent took the match 3-2 by a 27-25, 25-22, 17-25, 17-25 and 16-14 margin. The Bearcat victory clinched a postseason berth for SVC (12-17, 7-6 PAC) and eliminates W&J (4-20, 3-10 PAC) from conference tournament contention.
 
W&J overcame a two sets to none deficit to force a fifth and final set, but the Bearcats scored eight of the final nine points to take the set and match.
 
The Presidents had two set-point opportunities in the first set before Saint Vincent rallied to five of the final six points to take the set 27-25. In the fifth set, W&J led 14-11 and had three match-point chances but Saint Vincent rallied for the game's final five points to win 16-14. 
 
Senior Julia Bernesser (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler) turned in a career day with 21 kills, eight digs and five total blocks, while hitting at a .250 clip. Haley Nelson (Warren, Pa./Warren) racked up 14 kills. Makenzie Coughlin (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) collected 43 digs over five sets and Mallory O'Brien (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) logged 25 assists and 29 digs.
 
The Presidents combined for a season-best 14.0 total blocks. Kyleigh Jester (Ligonier, Pa./Ligonier Valley) posted a career-best six total blocks. Senior Morgan Jacques (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Science & Technology Academy) smacked eight kills and had five total blocks. Ashley Kovel (Everett, Pa./Everett) chipped in with four kills and four blocks, two of which were solo rejections.
 
W&J concludes its season next week at Geneva on Tuesday, Chatham at home Thursday and at Waynesburg on Saturday.