THE RUNDOWN
The Lady Patriots (8-12) fell to St. Edward's (12-7) 3-2 (25-21, 23-25, 22-25, 25-22, 12-12) Tuesday night inside the Burg Center. Junior Emma Eakin led the Lady Patriots with 13 kills, while sophomore Brooke Clark had 11 of her own. The back row was stellar as Lauren Nicks, Keely Hardin, and Gabby Grindele all registered dougle-digit kill performances. Junior Strealy Sizelove posted 23 assists while senior Merci Perry recorded 15 of her own. Senior Katie Nicholson led the Lady Patriots with five blocks, while senior Kasey Holand had a pair of her own.

DBU battled with the Hilltoppers early, trading points to seven all. The Lady Patriots would widen their lead to as much as six, up 13-7 after a Lauren Nicks service ace. St. Edward's went into a timeout looking to regroup, but DBU kept the pressure on surging ahead to a 17-8 lead. The Lady Patriots took a timeout up 19-14, and extended their lead to 24-20 before St. Edwards's took their second timeout. An Emma Eakin kill gave DBU the 25-21 set one victory.

In the second set, St. Edward's took an early lead up three before DBU surged back to tie the match up at 7-7. The two teams traded points until the score was 22-19 in favor of the Hilltoppers. DBU called its first timeout of the set down 22-0. The Lady Patriots made the score 24-23 in favor of St. Edward's, but the Hilltoppers scored the final two points to take set two, 25-23.

St. Edward's controlled the third set early, but DBU would not go quietly knotting the match up at 9-9. The two teams traded points to 13 all, and then again to 18 all. DBU then called a timeout down 19-18 after an unforced error. St. Edward's scored the next two points forcing DBU into their second timeout of the set. The Hilltoppers went onto finish the set, 25-22.

In the fourth set, the Lady Patriots were playing to extend the match to a fifth and final set. DBU tied the set up at 5-5 before an Emma Eakin kill gave the Lady Patriots the point advantage. DBU widened their lead to six, up 13-7. The Hilltoppers would rally their score to 12, but DBU went on a 4-2 run to close the set 25-22, forcing a winner take all fifth set.

St. Edward's came out in the fifth set taking an early advantage up 9-5 from a pair of kills by Kate Hendrix and Melissa McNeil. DBU called a timeout to regroup, and would tie the match up at 9 all, forcing a St. Edward's timeout. Despite DBU's efforts, St. Edward's would end the match on a 3-0 run, taking the fifth and final set 15-12.

KEY STORYLINES
 
- DBU won the hitting percentage battle .135 to .122.
- The last time DBU and St. Edward's went to five sets, was September 29th, 2015, to which DBU won 3-2.
- DBU posted 10 blocks to St. Edward's six.

INSIDE THE NUMBERS
 
57 - Total kills by the Lady Patriots, a season high.
73 – Total points against St. Edward's, a season high.
10 - Lady Patriots registered at least one point in the match.
 
UP NEXT
DBU will compete Thursday in Lubbock against Lubbock Christian at 7:00 p.m. at the Rip Griffin Center.