NEWBERRY, S.C. - Despite having three players reach double figures in the kills category, Newberry could not close out Lander down the stretch Thursday, falling by a 3-2 score. The loss marks the third straight for the Wolves (10-6), who were riding an eight match winning streak before the setbacks started to occur.

“The thing that really makes this loss disappointing is the fact that we were working so hard out there,” said head coach David Nicholson. “It just seemed that we had one or two miscues, or that someone was in the wrong place and that was all it took for them [Lander] to execute.”

Things started out in promising fashion for the hosts as they kept themselves in control throughout the majority of the first set. The Bearcats would battle back to tie things up on 10 occasions before the Wolves began to pull away. With the score 19 each, Kara Harris (Grandview, Texas) nearly won the set by herself. The 5-foot-8 senior rattled off three service aces, and with the help of a pair of attack errors by Lander the scarlet and gray took a 24-19 lead. The Bearcats would to get to within two points before an Anne Staudinger (Fort Wayne, Ind.) kill gave the Wolves a 1-0 match lead.

The second set saw Newberry pull ahead with an early 6-1 advantage. Their lead remained at five until an 8-3 run by the visitors would tie things up at 13. Weathering the storm, the Wolves responded and took another lead, this time 17-14 but the Bearcats had the answer once again. Things were tied at 19 all when the Bearcats would go on a run that would decide the set. Errors would be the downfall of the Wolves, accounting for five of the final six points for the Bearcats, who had tied the match at one set each.

The third set played out much like the first, right down to the 19-19 tie before the Wolves went on their run. This time it was Lander who failed to execute, and with the help of Sarah Scott (Redding, Calif.) and Samantha Parrish (Angola, Ind.) blocking a pair of attack attempts the Wolves would go on to take a 2-1 lead.

Set number four featured the squads trade points for the entirety of the match. The Wolves had two opportunities to end the match with the score reading 24-23 and 25-24 but could not find the elusive final kill as Lander forced a game five via a 27-25 mark.

With both teams buckling down in the fifth set it was the Wolves that would strike first. The hosts opened up a 3-1 lead, but Lander responded with a 7-3 run to make the score 8-4 in favor of the Bearcats. With the Wolves trailing 9-5 the players dug in and began their comeback. Newberry won the next four points with a kill from Parrish, a block by Harris and Leah Nye (Hoover, Ala.), a Bearcat attack error and the tying kill from Harris after a long volley that sent the crowd into a riotous frenzy and caused Lander to call time.

The Wolves couldn't keep the momentum going out of the timeout, though. Lander would only surrender one more point with a service error as they went on to take the set, 15-10, and the match, 3-2.

Harris had a sensational match, racking up a match-high 21 kills and 19 digs to complete the double-double. The outside hitter also chipped in four service aces and a block assist to the cause.

Parrish had a double-double as well with 15 kills and 12 digs. The freshman would also have four block assists in the marathon match.

Bri Blakely (Houston, Texas) would round out the double-double performers for the scarlet and gray. The 5-foot-5 setter tallied 53 assists to go along with 12 digs and a kill.

Staudinger rounded out the main scoring trio for the hosts with 14 kills which were complimented by three digs and two block assists.

Scott would have a fine all around match as well, accruing seven kills a block solo and five block assists.

The Wolves will look to snap out of their funk at Eleazer Arena on Friday (Oct. 1) when they welcome the Tusculum Pioneers to town. The SAC match is scheduled to begin at 7 p.m.