WOMEN’S VOLLEYBALL

The HU volleyball team came up short Saturday afternoon, falling to Spring Arbor University in straight sets, 25-21, 25-21, 26-24, in Crossroads League action at the McDonald Athletic Center.

The loss drops the Foresters to 11-16 overall and 4-9 in conference play, while the Cougars improve to 16-8 overall and 8-5 in the league.

The Foresters built a 13-10 advantage in the opening frame before Spring Arbor answered with a decisive run to gain control. Huntington battled back to within three points late, but the Cougars secured the set, 25-21.

The second set remained tight throughout. Neither side was able to create much separation, and the score was tied at 20-20 before Spring Arbor closed with five of the final six points to take a 2-0 match lead.

Huntington appeared poised to extend the match in the third set after racing out to a 10-3 advantage. The Foresters maintained the lead deep into the frame and eventually earned a set point at 24-22. Spring Arbor, however, responded with four straight points, including the match’s final kill and service ace, to complete the sweep with a 26-24 victory.

The Cougars finished with advantages in kills (42-35), service aces (8-5) and hitting percentage (.214-.111). Huntington improved offensively as the match progressed, hitting .278 in the third set, but could not overcome 22 attack errors.

Lauren Ross directed the offense with 29 assists while adding 13 digs, a service ace and a kill. Kennedy Urban anchored the back row with 15 digs, while Liz Blackburn contributed seven kills. Hallie Higgs and Allie Boyer added five kills apiece, and the Foresters finished with five service aces and seven team blocks.

The loss marks the Foresters’ fourth straight setback and continues a challenging stretch as the regular season enters its final weeks. Despite the recent results, head coach Kelsey Herber remains focused on the growth process ahead.

“The time never comes to throw in the towel,” said Herber. “We are called as believers to continue pursuing growth and excellence even in the midst of challenging circumstances. We are going to make our muscles

move with our prayers and choose acts that reflect the team we want to be by the end of the season.”

With four conference matches remaining, Huntington will look to regroup and rediscover momentum as the race for Crossroads League Tournament positioning continues.

The Foresters return to action Wednesday when they host Goshen College at 7 p.m. in Platt Arena.