PAINESVILLE, Ohio -- The Storm volleyball team took on the Ashland University Eagles for their third conference match of the season, falling in three close sets, 3-0. The Storm now stand at a 2-8 record, and the Eagles rise to a 8-5 record. 

The Storm and the Eagles were a strong matchup going into the first set. The score remained close with an early tie at 5-5. The Storm started the first set with kills from senior Dora Olah,  senior Maria Blatnik, and senior Kariema Rodriguez-Diaz. The Eagles took a small lead of 11-9, answered by a kill from senior Jordan Taylor. The Eagles grew their lead to 16-11 off some Storm errors before the Storm fought back. A service ace from sophomore Simone Schurr, kill from Rodriguez-Diaz, and some Eagles errors led to the Storm tying it up at 19-19. Olah and Blatnik put down more kills for the Storm, but the Eagles won the set from kills of their own mixed with Storm errors, 25-21. 

With the Eagles leading 1-0 in sets, they kept their momentum going into the second set. They grew an 8-1 lead over the Storm early on, but kills from Taylor and Olah kept the Storm in the game. Blatnik put away another kill, but the Eagles continued to further their lead to 16-8. The Storm didn't let the lead stop them from going on a six point lead with senior Kaylee Hiser at the service line. Junior Julianna Krebasch made her first appearance of the season, putting away multiple kills for the Storm. Another three point run from the Storm brought them to a one point deficit at 18-17, Eagles. A pair of kills from Rodriguez-Diaz and a kill from Blatnik continued the Storm's comeback, but the Eagles took the set 25-20 from Storm errors and Eagles' kills. 

The Storm fought on in the third match, growing a nice 8-2 lead to start. The Eagles came back however after a short run of their own. The teams battled back and forth with errors and kills on both sides, with a tied score of 11-11. The score stayed close up until the Eagles went on a run to pull a lead of 17-14. Kills from Taylor, Blatnik, and Olah kept the Storm alive, but the Eagles finished out the match winning set 25-21, continuing to put the ball away with some Storm errors to help. 

Schurr finished the match with 18 assists and sophomore Sarah Leyden close behind with 12 assists. Taylor led the Storm in kills and digs with eight kills and ten digs. 

The Storm is on the road for their next conference match against the Findlay Oilers on Saturday, September 17th at 4:00 PM.