DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) – Solid performances by freshman Haley Bergan (26 digs - 1 ace) and sophomore Danni Kennedy (10 kills - 1 ace - 6 blocks) were not enough as the Duhawks fell in their Iowa Conference opener, 3-1 (25-20, 19-25, 25-20, 25-20), to the Luther College Norse on Wednesday night in the Athletic & Wellness Center.

Sophomore Jenna Erickson and junior Kara Kentner paced the Duhawks to start the first set. An aggressive serve by Erickson forced a free ball from the Norse and then a pass from freshman Haley Bergan allowed Erickson to set Kentner for the kill.

The kill set the tone for the Duhawks in the early goings as they jumped out to a 9-3 lead. Moments later, Loras maintained their six point advantage, 13-7.

With Brandi Knupp serving for the Norse, the Duhawks' lead was quickly erased as Luther fought back to tie it behind a 6-0 run. After erasing another Loras lead, Luther knotted the score at 19, before taking a 21-20 lead.

A trio of attack errors at the hands of the Duhawks allowed the Norse to close the first set on a 4-0 run to take it 25-20.

With her team trailing 10-9, sophomore Danni Kennedy crushed a hit off the Norse block attempt for the kill. The timely hit proved to be exactly what the Duhawks needed, as it jumpstarted a 6-2 run.

The run put Loras ahead 15-12, and forced Luther to take a timeout. Out of the break, the Duhawks picked up right where they left off; doubling their lead and giving them a 23-17 edge.

Loras' late lead caused Luther to use its second timeout of the match. Different from the first timeout, the Norse came out winning consecutive points to cut the Duhawks lead to four.
After a Loras timeout, the Duhawks closed out the set, 25-19, on a kill by Kentner.

A sluggish start plagued the Duhawks in set three. Trailing 4-1 early, Duhawk Head Coach Jenna Ness used a timeout. The pause in play temporarily broke Luther's momentum, but after back-to-back kills from Kentner, the Norse pushed their lead to seven, 15-8.

Following a service error by the Norse, junior Christina Angeli's kill cut the deficit to five. From there, a few miscues by the Norse coupled with a pair of kills by Kennedy brought the Duhawks within one, 16-15, and brought about a Luther timeout.

In the end, the Duhawks couldn't complete the comeback, falling 25-20.

Needing to win the fourth set to force a match-deciding fifth, Loras found themselves behind early. As the Norse opened up the set with a 5-0 lead, Ness used a timeout.

A moment after refocusing in the huddle, the Duhawks rallied behind Kentner and junior Liz Jendra. The junior tandem combined for five kills, as Loras cut the deficit to one, 13-12.
 
Following a 4-0 run by Loras and a Luther timeout, Bergan caught the Norse on their heels as her serve floated over the net and hit the floor for the ace. The swift serve by the freshman tied the set at 13.

A tie was as close as the Duhawks would come, as they failed to overcome the balanced attack of the Norse, falling 25-20 and dropped the match, 3-1.

The loss extends the skid for the Duhawks, who now have lost five in a row. Loras now stands at 4-8 overall and 0-1 in the Iowa Conference.

Loras travels to St. Paul, Minnesota this weekend to compete in the St. Kate's Invitational. The Duhawks will take on the hosts at 3 p.m. before taking on St. Olaf at 5 p.m. On Saturday, Loras will wrap up the invitational against Hamline University at 9 a.m.