WASHINGTON, Pa. -- Despite taking the opening set of the match, the Washington & Jefferson College volleyball team dropped a 3-1 decision to NAIA member Point Park University on Wednesday night at Trinity High School. 

After opening with a 25-23 win in the opening set, W&J saw Point Park respond with three straight set wins, by respective scores of 25-16, 25-13 and 25-21. 

W&J took control of a back and forth first set by tallying six straight points to gain a 18-14 advantage over Point Park. Consecutive kills by Morgan Jacques (Pittsburgh, Pa./Pittsburgh Science & Technology Academy), Mallory O'Brien (Pittsburgh, Pa./Baldwin) and Haley Nelson (Warren, Pa./Warren) highlighted the run for the Presidents.  

The Red and Black would maintain at least a two-point advantage until Point Park rallied with four straight points to tie the score at 22-22. The Presidents responded with three of the final four points to clinch the set victory, the last of which came on a kill from Julia Galbraith (Pittsburgh, Pa./Vincentian Academy), giving the hosts a 25-23 set win. 

With Point Park leading 11-10 in the second set, the visitors strengthened their lead with seven straight points and 14 of the last 20 to earn a 25-16 set two win to even the match. W&J would build a 7-6 lead in the third set before another sizable Point Park run would swing the momentum, as the Pioneers rattled off five straight points to take a 11-7 edge. A little later in the set, the Pioneers added another five-point run to push the lead to 19-11. After back-to-back points by W&J cut the deficit to six points (19-13), the visitors closed the set with six straight points (25-13). 

The fourth set was back and forth throughout, as W&J tied the score at 17-17 on a kill by Nelson. However, PPU would take four of the next five points to build a 21-18 lead. W&J could not work itself back despite a pair of points by Julia Bernesser (Glenshaw, Pa./Shaler) down the stretch. The Pioneers would claim the fourth by a 25-21 score to take victory. 

Makenzie Coughlin (Brunswick, Ohio/Brunswick) produced another strong night defensively. The senior recorded a season-high 35 digs, which is the most among all PAC players in a match this season. Katie Conner (Pittsburgh, Pa./Vincentian Academy) and Madison Simpson (Washington, Pa./Chartiers-Houston) added 16 and 13 digs, respectively to aid the defensive effort. 

O'Brien filled the stat sheet with 29 assists, 10 digs and five kills on the evening. Nelson was the lone President with double figure kills, as the junior finished with 10. 

W&J returns to action this weekend (Sept. 13-14) at the Carnegie Mellon DoubleTree Invitational. The Presidents will face Mount Union and No. 10 CMU on Friday before challenging Scranton and Case Western Reserve on Saturday.