WASHINGTON, Pa. – The Washington & Jefferson College volleyball team lost a thrilling five-set match to the Saint Vincent Bearcats, 3-2.

The loss drops W&J to 10-9 overall and 1-1 in Presidents' Athletic Conference play.
 
The bout opened with a back-and-forward competition in the first set as both teams were getting a feel for the matchup. A dump kill by setter Adrianna Sacramento (Pittsburgh, Pa./Woodland Hills) sparked a 7-0 run in the first set to give the Presidents a 15-9 lead. Each team traded equal point spurts until freshman Alexandra Ash (Richmond, Ohio/Edison) sealed the first set victory with a kill off the assist of Sacramento, 25-22.
 
The Bearcats flipped the script on the Presidents in the second set with the largest point differential win of the night. Saint Vincent catapulted out to a 20-6 lead before the Presidents could muster a response. W&J posted a late five-point run to bring the Bearcat lead to 10 before ultimately falling in set two, 25-13.
 
Set three went down to the wire, pushing past the 25-point mark. Kills by Piper McFarland (West Mifflin, Pa./Cornerstone Preparatory Academy) and Ash sparked a 6-4 lead that was held until the Bearcats knotted the score at 24. Both sides quickly traded points to land at 25 all before Rian Benz (Strongsville, Ohio/Holy Name) fired down two kills to earn the Presidents their second set victory of the night, 27-25.
 
W&J built a promising lead in the fourth set of the bout in the early portion, compiling an 18-15 lead. The Presidents' lead was quickly squandered by six-straight Bearcat points. With the score tied at 22, the Bearcats rattled off three points to close out the fourth set, 25-22.
 
The Presidents opened the fifth set cold, going down 12-6 early on. When it mattered most, W&J mustered an immediate response, tacking on a 7-1-point swing to knot the score at 13. Two kills by Jaden Blough (Meyersdale, Pa./Meyersdale) kept the Presidents alive at 15-15, before Saint Vincent closed out the match with two kills, 17-15.
 
Blough and McFarland were the highlights of the Presidents defensive efforts. Blough dropped a career-high seven total blocks while McFarland compiled a career-high 46 digs in the outing. Freshman Emma Padovano (Richwood, Ohio/North Union) and Sophomore Abby Oldham (Aliquippa, Pa./Hopewell) each tacked on six and five total blocks, respectively.
 
Benz led the offense with 19 kills followed by Ash with 16. Sacramento led the setting department with 37 assists coupled with 18 added on by Brielle Moorhouse (East Liberty, Ohio/Benjamin Logan).
 
W&J manages a quick turnaround at home to host the visiting Thiel Tomcats, Saturday (Oct. 12). The matchup has a scheduled opening serve of 11 a.m.