HICKORY, N.C. - The Newberry College volleyball team went on the road Saturday afternoon to take on the Lenoir-Rhyne Bears but came up short, 1-3 (19-25, 23-25, 25-21, 25-27).

Priscila Sales (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) played well in the loss earning a match high 17 kills to go along with nine digs and two aces. Kara Harris (Grandview, Texas) was also on top of her game earning a team high 11 digs. She also racked up seven kills and four aces. Brianna Blakely (Houston, Texas) was the assists leader for the scarlet and gray earning a match high 48 assists.

Katie Novacek (Raleigh, N.C.) led the Bears to a win with a team high 11 kills. Hannah Stewart (Statesville, N.C.) also played well earning a double-double with a team high 44 assists and 11 digs. Elizabeth Flattery (Sparta, N.C.) led the Bears in digs with 18.

The first set started off close as both teams tried to set the pace early. With the score tied at 12 all, Newberry gave up an 8-3 run that gave Lenoir-Rhyne a big lead. The scarlet and gray brought the deficit down to as much as three points but still dropped the opening set, 19-25. Despite the loss, Dani Hroblak (Lake Wylie, S.C.) still played efficiently earning three kills and no errors on five attacks. She finished the day with nine kills and three digs.

Newberry took the early advantage in the second set by opening up an 8-4 lead. The Bears answered back quickly and eventually formed their own four point lead. The scarlet and gray never quit and battled back to tie the set at 20 all. Tied once again at 23, Lenoir-Rhyne's Kassi Henry (Denver, N.C.) earned two consecutive kills that sealed the set, 25-23. Lorena Maia (Belo Horizonte, Brazil) had her best set of the day in the second earning five kills, five digs, and an attack percentage of .364. By the end of the match Maia totaled 11 kills, nine digs, and three solo blocks.

The scarlet and gray were one set away from losing the match but still maintained their composure in the third set. They opened up a quick 9-4 lead aided by a combined three kills and two blocks from the Hroblak sisters. Newberry never gave up the lead in the set and led by as much as six points. They stayed alive in the match by winning the third set, 25-21.

Newberry carried their momentum into the fourth and final set by earning an early 10-4 lead. For the majority of the set it seemed like the match was headed to a fifth set but Newberry found it tough to close out Lenoir-Rhyne. Trailing 20-24, the Bears went on a 7-1 run which sealed the final set, 27-25. Blakely led the scarlet and gray in both assists (11) and digs (4) in the final set.

The Newberry College volleyball team now falls to 16-10 overall and 8-6 in the South Atlantic Conference. They will have a chance to snap their three match losing streak on Senior Day against North Greenville this Wednesday at 7 p.m.. Lenoir-Rhyne (13-16, 5-8 in the SAC) will return to action this Tuesday to take on Wingate.