COLLEGEVILLE, Pa. – The Ursinus Volleyball team dropped both matches in their 2023 home tri-match with Penn State Behrend and William Paterson on Saturday at Helfferich Hall. The Bears lost to the Lions in straight-sets (22-25, 23-25, 21-25) before letting a 2-0 set lead slip away to the Pioneers (25-21, 25-18, 22-25, 9-25, 12-15).

Prior to the first match, the Bears honored their five senior players: Megan Aube, Madison Vinovrski, Claire Worley, Haley Spotts, and Gabby McGinn along with team manager Lauren Kovarick for Senior Appreciation Day ceremonies. 
 
 
Against the Lions, junior Caroline Sherman and sophomore Mel Eglinton led the Bears with 13 kills apiece. Junior Emma Illovsky led the Bears with 12 digs while Eglinton and junior Rachel Bernard posted nine digs each. Bernard also eclipsed the 1,000-career assist mark after pacing the offense with 23.
 
 
The Bears gained the early advantage in the first set at 3-1 before going up 12-6 after winning six-straight points. Ursinus gained their largest lead of the set at 15-8 before the Lions rallied to take the lead at 17-16 behind winning nine of the next 10 points, including eight-straight. Behrend took advantage of kills and multiple Bear errors to go up 22-18. Ursinus got within two points at 24-22 before a Lions kill ended the first set. It was the Bears once again that went up early in the second set as they went up 6-1 before taking a 9-3 advantage. Ursinus staved off an initial Lions rally as they went up 14-9 but could not fend off a second Lions run as they won nine of the next 12 points to go up 18-17. Behrend won four-straight points after the Bears tied the set at 18 to go up 22-18 until Ursinus valiantly rallied to tie the set at 23. However, a kill and an ace sent the Lions to the third set up 2-0. Behrend gained an early advantage for the first time in the match at 7-5 before the Bears won three-straight points to go up 8-7. After the Lions tied things up at nine, the Bears won six of the next eight points to go up 15-11. Ursinus eventually worked their lead up to 18-14, but the Lions stormed back with eight-straight points to go up 22-18. The Bears could not recover from the Lions decisive run as they only got within two points before Behrend close the set and match out.
 
 
Sherman continued her double-digit kill streak with a match-high 18 against the Pioneers while Eglinton tallied a kill-dig double-double at 14 and 17. Bernard added 25 assists, 15 digs, plus three aces and Illovsky registered 23 digs.
 
 
The Bears answered William Paterson winning the first three points of the first set with three of their own to tie things up at three. The Pioneers took the lead back and hit will early as they went up 12-8 on the Bears. Ursinus battled back by winning seven-straight points to go up 15-12 behind three kills from Eglinton. The Pioneers won five of the next seven points to tie the set at 17-all and each team traded points to keep things tied late at 20. Ursinus won five of the next six points to win the first set. The Bears had a fast start in the second set by going up 3-1 early and extended their advantage to 7-3. The Pioneers won five of the next six points to tie the set at eight before the Bears responded by winning seven of the next eight points to go up 15-9. William Paterson would be able to only get as close as four points during the rest of the second set and Ursinus gained the 2-0 set advantage in the match.
 
 
After back and forth action to start the third set, the Pioneers stormed ahead to go up 10-5 and eventually forced a Bears timeout when they went up 15-9. Ursinus battled back out of the timeout and won 10 of the next 12 points to go up 19-17, their first lead since being up 2-1. The Pioneers worked their way back after a timeout of their own and eventually turned the tide of the match by winning eight of the next 11 points. The third set win propelled William Paterson in the fourth set as they were dominant throughout to force a fifth set. The Pioneers hit a sizzling .536 in the fourth set compared to the Bears at -.136.
 
 
Ursinus won four-straight points after the Pioneers won the first point of the fifth set to force an early timeout. The Bears worked their lead up to 8-4 before the switch, but the Pioneers took control by taking eight of the next 10 points to go up 12-10. Two William Paterson errors tied the set at 12 before the Pioneers won the last three to complete the comeback.
 
 
The Bears return to action on Saturday, September 30th as they will face No. 8 Johns Hopkins at 1:00 p.m.