GREENWOOD, S.C. - The scarlet and gray traveled to Lander University Tuesday night in an effort to hand the Bearcats their first loss. The team produced a respectable performance, but in the end fell short, 3 sets to 1, and slipped to 5-4 on the season.

Newberry dropped the opening set 25-22 before rallying to beat Lander in the second by a score of 25-18. The third set would prove to be vital to the match, and it was apparent in the effort both teams put forth. The squads battled back and forth before Lander pulled out the victory 29-27. The Bearcats, propelled by the momentum, won the deciding fourth set 25-19 and remained undefeated on the season.

Despite the loss, Newberry's players still produced. Fernanda Frey (Sao Paulo, Brazil), Kember Lichtie (Amarillo, Texas) and Brianna Blakely (Houston Texas) all recorded double-doubles. Frey tied the match-high with 16 kills and tallied 18 digs. Lichtie achieved 12 kills while recording 13 digs of her own. Blakely had 39 assists combined with 16 digs on the night.

The Bearcats effectively spread the ball around Newberry's court, resulting in five Newberry players recording double-digit kills. Kara Harris (Grandview, Texas) was the leader with 23, followed by Lindsey Hollingsworth (Charleston, S.C.) with 21, and then Frey, Blakely and Lichtie.

The team travels to Huntsville, Ala., this weekend to participate in the University of Alabama in Huntsville and Country Inn & Suites Volleyball Invitational before opening conference play the following week.