ST. LOUIS – The Billikens dropped a hard-fought five-set match to Duquesne, 3-2, Saturday afternoon inside Chaifetz Pavilion.
SET 1 | SLU 18, DUQ 25
The teams traded points early before Duquesne built an 11-7 lead and extended its advantage to 15-10. The Dukes held a 20-15 lead late and controlled the remainder of the set to take a 1-0 lead.
SET 2 | SLU 27, DUQ 25
The Billikens jumped out to a 5-3 lead before the teams traded points to a 9-9 tie. SLU used a 3-0 run to take a 12-9 advantage, but Duquesne answered to take a 14-13 lead. The Billikens responded with three straight points to regain the lead at 16-14 before the Dukes took an 18-17 advantage. The teams continued to trade points late, with back-to-back blocks from
Kayla Jansen and
Jetta Brenning giving SLU a 22-20 lead. Duquesne tied the set at 23-23 and took a 25-24 lead, but a
Tea Kalajdzic kill tied it again. A block from Kalajdzic and
Tamia Maddox gave SLU a 26-25 lead before
J'La Sparks sealed the set with a solo block.
SLU recorded six blocks in the set.
SET 3 | SLU 25, DUQ 17
Duquesne held a 13-11 advantage before the Billikens tied the set at 13-13 and took a 16-13 lead. After the Dukes cut the lead to 16-14, SLU continued to pull away. The Billikens closed the set on a 9-3 run to take a 2-1 match lead.
SET 4 | SLU 21, DUQ 25
The teams remained close early before Duquesne opened a 7-4 lead and extended it to 11-6. The Dukes led 15-8 at the media timeout and pushed the advantage to 21-9. The Billikens responded with a 10-1 run, cutting the deficit to 22-19. SLU continued to battle, pulling within 23-21, but Duquesne scored the final two points to force a fifth set.
SET 5 | SLU 12, DUQ 15
SLU opened the fifth with a 4-2 lead and extended its advantage to 6-3. Duquesne answered with a 3-0 run to tie the set at 7-7. The teams traded points from there, with SLU taking an 11-9 lead on a Kalajdzic kill. Duquesne tied the set at 11-11 before taking a 14-12 lead and closing out the match, 15-12.
NOTABLES
- Ellie Rink posted a double-double with 20 kills and 12 digs, the 14th double-double of her career.
- Rink recorded the fifth 20-kill match of her career.
- Kalajdzic added 16 kills while hitting .375.
- Brenning finished with 41 assists and seven digs with four blocks.
UP NEXT
The Billikens return to Chaifetz Pavilion on Friday at 6 p.m. to face Dayton.
