GRANTHAM, Pa. – The Messiah Women's Volleyball team resumed conference play on Wednesday night, hosting the Eagles of Eastern University, falling in three sets (14-25, 16-25, 23-25).
 
In set one, the Eagles jumped out to an early lead and held onto it throughout the set, taking it 25-14. Eastern kept up the strong play in the second set, taking a two-set lead in the match. Messiah jumped out to a lead in the third, but the Eagles battled back to tie it. The teams traded points back and forth before Eastern pulled away to take the set and the match. Sydney Wolfe led the Falcons with eight kills. Erin Eby had a team-high 14 digs, while Claire Marzolino picked up 13 digs.
 
Up next, the Falcons travel to Grove City, Pa. for a tri-match against Chatham University and Grove City College on Saturday, October 25, beginning at 1:00 p.m.
 
Set One
Eastern started well, taking a quick 9-3 lead, with Katie Quesenberry and Cynthia Boller picking up kills for Messiah. Cynthia Boller picked up another kill and Sydney Wolfe added her first of the match, but Eastern extended the lead to 11, at 20-9. Messiah won four of the next five points, with Leah Youtzy tallying two kills and combining with Makenzie Adams for a block, while Sydney Wolfe added her second kill of the set to make it 22-13, Eastern. Makenzie Adams tacked on a kill, but Eastern finished the set swiftly, winning 25-14.

Set Two
Sydney Wolfe picked up a kill and Cassidy Dell and Katie Quesenberry rose above the net for a double block to give Messiah an early 3-2 lead. Eastern responded with a four-point run to make it 6-2 in their favor, but Leah Youtzy and Cynthia Boller picked up back-to-back kills to get the deficit back to one, at 6-5. Eastern, however, responded by winning 11 of the following 13 points, leading the set 17-7. Julia Bowen picked up a kill to start a five-point Falcon run, which included two kills from Sydney Wolfe, a block from Wolfe and Leah Youtzy, and a service ace from Erin Eby, making it 17-12. Eastern responded with a four-point run, swinging the momentum back to their side, and taking the set 25-16.

Set Three
Erin Eby started the third set with a service ace, followed by kills from Makenzie Adams and Sydney Wolfe to help give Messiah a 6-1 lead. Adams quickly grabbed two more kills, with Messiah now up six points, 8-2. Eastern began to find their footing, and soon the set was tied 9-9. Julia Bowen and Leah Youtzy each grabbed another kill as the teams began to trade points, still tied at 11-11. Eastern won three straight point to pull away, but Messiah responded with three straight points of their own, including a kill from Julia Bowen, tying the set 14-14. Sydney Wolfe and Katie Quesenberry each added another kill as the teams continued to trade points, now tied 17-17. The score remained tied, at 20-20, but Eastern won a few points to grab a small lead, 22-20. Cassidy Dell responded with a slick setter dump to make it 22-21, but the Eagles won another two quick points to make it 24-21. Julia Bowen tallied one more kill, and an Eastern error got the Falcons within one point at 24-23, but the Eagles were able to win the final point, along with the set and match.
 
Stats
Sydney Wolfe led the Falcons with eight kills. Erin Eby had a team-high 14 digs, while Claire Marzolino picked up 13 digs. Leah Youtzy had four kills and three blocks. Makenzie Adams tallied five kills, and Julia Bowen added four kills.
 
Up Next
The Falcons travel to Grove City, Pa. for a tri-match against Chatham University and Grove City College on Saturday, October 25, beginning at 1:00 p.m.