WAYNESBURG, Pa. -- The Washington & Jefferson College volleyball team ended the 2019 season with a 3-1 loss at Waynesburg University Saturday afternoon in Presidents' Athletic Conference play. 

Waynesburg took the first set by a 25-22 score before W&J responded with a 25-18 victorey in the second set. The Yellow Jackets then won the third and fourth sets each by a 25-22 margin to claim the match. 

The Yellow Jackets opened the match with a 25-22 set one victory. With the score tied at 21-21, the hosts closed the set with four of the final five points to take the set.

W&J jumped out to a 9-2 lead in the second set before letting Waynesburg rattled off 11 straight points to take a 13-9 edge. Freshman middle Kyleigh Jester (Ligonier, Pa./Ligonier Valley) recorded three service aces to spark a 6-2 run for the Presidents, evening the score at 15-15. The Presidents then tallied 10 of the next 13 points to claim a 25-18 set two victory. Freshman right side Claire Sauerland (Hollidaysburg, Pa./Hollidaysburg Area) and junior outside hitter Haley Nelson (Warren, Ohio/Warren) picked up the final two kills to finish off the second. 

After holding a 12-10 lead in the third set, W&J saw Waynesburg use a 5-0 run to surge into the lead. The Presidents would trim the deficit to two points on several occasions but would get no closer as the Yellow Jackets held on for a 25-22 win to take a 2-1 edge. W&J appeared poised to force a fifth set, as the Red and Black built respective leads of 11-5 and 16-9 in the fourth set. However, the Presidents allowed the Jackets to battle back. Waynesburg first ripped off six straight points to cut the deficit to 16-15. With the score eventually tied at 20-20, Waynesburg tallied five of the final seven points to end the match. 

Nelson led W&J offensively with 13 kills and a .238 hitting percentage. Jester chipped in a season-high five service aces, five kills and four total blocks in the loss. Senior setter Mallory O'Brien (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) collected 23 assists, 17 digs and added five kills in her final collegiate match.

Senior libero Makenzie Coughlin (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) recorded 29 digs in her final collegiate match. Coughlin finished her four-year career with 1,947 digs, which ranks as the second most in program history.