WHEELING, W. Va.- The Slippery Rock University volleyball team lost a pair of matches Saturday afternoon on day two of the 2017 Atlantic Region Crossover in Wheeling, West Virginia.
 
Slippery Rock lost to host Wheeling Jesuit 3-1 (25-17, 25-20, 25-12) to start the day followed by a close 3-1 (25-19, 23-25, 25-22, 25-22) defeat against Charleston in the nightcap. SRU exits the weekend with an 8-4 overall record.
 
MATCH ONE: Wheeling Jesuit 3 – Slippery Rock 0
After dropping the first set to the Cardinals, which were receiving votes in the most recent American Volleyball Coaches Association of America Top 25 poll, 25-17, Slippery Rock rebounded to hang with WJU throughout the entirety of the second set.
 
SRU led through the early and middle stages of the set, but with the score 15-13 Wheeling Jesuit went on a decisive 7-1 run to take a 20-16 lead en route to an eventual 25-20 victory. WJU jumped out to a 9-3 lead in the third set as it cruised to an eventual 25-12 match-clinching victory.
 
Shayla Ray had a fantastic match against the Cardinals, recording nine kills on 13 attempts with just two attack errors for an impressive .538 hitting percentage. Kaley Fucci also had nine kills while Erinn Kahoe added five kills and three blocks. Brooke Bostwick matched Kahoe for the team-high in blocks with three of her own.
 
Haley Defibaugh and Zoe Rivet recorded 13 and 12 assists, respectively, with Defibaugh also accounting for one of The Rock's two aces in the match. Courtney Oberlander registered a team-high 11 digs in the defeat.
 
MATCH TWO: Charleston 3 – Slippery Rock 1
The Rock's second match of the day against Charleston was back-and-forth contest with each set being anyone's to win, but the Golden Eagles were able to edge out SRU in three of the four sets to sneak away with the win.
 
Slippery Rock rallied back from a 5-0 deficit in the first set to climb to within four points late (22-18), but UC managed to take three of the set's final four points in a 25-19 win. SRU trailed the Golden Eagles 23-22 in the second set before countering with three unanswered points to pull out a 25-22 win and even the match at one set apiece.
 
However, The Rock's comeback bid would fall just short as Charleston record back-to-back 25-22 victories in the third and fourth sets to eek out the 3-1 victory. Fucci led the attack against Charleston with 12 kills. Also aiding The Rock's offense was Kahoe and Bostwick with eight kills each.
 
As a team, SRU accounted for eight blocks against UC. Ray presided over the effort with four blocks (one solo / three assisted) followed by Stephanie Jacobsen (one solo / two assisted), Kahoe (one solo / two assisted) and Bostwick (one solo / one assisted).
 
Oberlander continued to show why she is one of the top defensive specialists in the region with 40 digs, two shy of matching her career-high. Rivet notched her third 20-assist match of the season with 22. The quintet of Rivet, Defibaugh, Bostwick, Oberlander and Jayln Willard all produced aces as well.
 
SRU now turns its attention to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference competition. The Rock will play at Lock Haven University 7 p.m. Friday followed by a 1 p.m. match at Pitt-Johnstown on Saturday. 
 
 
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