DUBUQUE, Iowa (Duhawks.com) – A day after opening the IIAC-NACC Crossover Challenge with two convincing wins, Loras returned to the AWC on Saturday morning to take on Edgewood College to kick off day two of tournament play. The Eagles edged out the Duhawks in a five set thriller, 3-2, handing Loras their first loss of the weekend.  The Duhawks bounced back in their second match, taking down Dominican, 3-1.

With the score knotted at 15 in the opening set against Edgewood, sophomore Danni Kennedy blocked the Eagles attack, putting the Duhawks ahead by one. The stellar defensive play completed a comeback by Loras and forced Edgewood to call a timeout.

The break proved timely for the Eagles and slowed the Duhawks. Edgewood used three straight kills to take an 18-16 advantage. Despite battling through five ties, Loras could not overtake the lead, falling 25-23.
After trading points early, the Duhawks created some separation. Sophomore Therese Schultz crushed a ball crosscourt, putting her team ahead, 12-10. Despite extending their lead to as many as four, Loras found themselves trailing 20-19.

Following a Duhawk timeout, Loras won three straight points to take control, 22-20 on a kill by junior Taylor Serrano. A Loras miscue was followed up with another kill by Serrano, forcing Edgewood to call a timeout of their own.

Leading 23-21, the Duhawks and Eagles traded points before junior Liz Jendra ended the set. The 25-23 win, knotted the match at one heading into the third.

A slow start plagued Loras for most of the set before a 4-0 run gave them a two point edge.  Later in the match, the Eagles came soaring back, tying it at 22. From there, Edgewood closed the set on a 3-1 run, 25-23.

In the fourth set, Loras trailed by as many as five before evening the score late, 24-24. Edgewood's Rachel Thomsen floating serve was passed to sophomore Jenna Erickson. Erickson set Kennedy for the kill, giving the Duhawks a 25-24 edge. On the following play, Kentner set McKee for the set-winning kill, 26-24.

In the decisive fifth set, individual errors plagued the Duhawks, as they fell 15-12.

Hoping to end their weekend with a winning record, the Duhawks took a 2-0 match lead over the Dominican Stars. In the third, the Stars hit their best of the match (.255) on their way to a 25-21 victory.

The Duhawks came out fired up in the fourth, taking an early 8-2 lead. A Dominican timeout tamed the Duhawks attack and allowed the Stars to refocus.  With their lead slipping away, head coach Jenna Ness called a timeout.

After trading points, Jendra's roll gave Loras a three-point advantage before the hot hitting McKee smashed her match-best 15^th kill of the game crosscourt for the set 25-21, and the match 3-1.

Loras finishes the weekend, 3-1, moving them to 9-11 on the season.