Slippery Rock University Athletics

AMHERST, N.Y. - The Slippery Rock University volleyball team lost a non-conference road match Tuesday at Daemen University in three sets (25-23, 25-19, 25-14).
 
Tuesday's loss moves The Rock's record to 5-7 on the year, while the host Wildcats improve to 8-6.
 
The match saw a balanced Rock attack in which five athletes had four or more kills led by Marley Annis' team-best seven. Hayden Deming came off the bench to register a season-high matching five kills over two sets on a .400 attack percentage.
 
The trio of Emry Rumbaugh, Chloe Shirk and Victoria Nalbach all chipped in four kills in addition to each being responsible for SRU's three blocks during the match.
 
In what was her first collegiate start, freshman setter Emily Loeffler matched her season-bests in both assists (16) and digs (5).
 
Kaitlyn Danszczak served The Rock's lone ace of the contest, while Kara Pasquale (9) and Bailey Espana (8) combined for 17 of SRU's 41 digs.
 
The opening set was a back-and-forth tilt in which neither team led by more than two points for the near duration of game as The Rock and Wildcats played to a 21-21 tie before a quick three-point Daemen run provided the hosts enough cushion to grab a 25-23 decision in the opener.
 
The first set featured 16 ties and six lead changes. Shirk and Annis each had three kills in the first set, with Shirk also netting her block. Loeffler assisted on 10 of the 11 kills in the set, while Espana made seven digs.
 
The Rock edged their way out to an early 5-4 advantage in the second set only for Daemen to rattle off six straight points as part of a decisive 16-4 run that gave way to the Wildcats' eventual 25-19 win.
 
SRU could not avoid the sweep in the third when Daemen captured the final set's first four points to begin what turned out to be a wire-to-wire match deciding 25-14 victory to close the night.
 
Daemen held advantages over The Rock in kills (45-30), attack percentage (.279 / .084), aces (6-1), total blocks (7-3) and digs (46-41). Avery Craig led Daemen with 14 kills, seven digs, one ace and one block.
 
Slippery Rock returns to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference Western Division competition when it hosts Indiana University (Pa.) 6 p.m. Friday at Morrow Field House.
 
 





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