ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College volleyball team fell to Hamline University in four closely contested sets, 26-24, 20-25, 25-23, 26-24 in a MIAC match Friday evening at Hutton Fieldhouse. The Scots are now 8-15 overall and 2-7 in conference play, while the Pipers improve to 7-14, 2-7 MIAC.

The first set was tight throughout, indicative of how the match would play out. Macalester trailed 13-8 before battling back to tie the score at 15-15, the first of five ties from that point on. With the score 23-23, a solo block by junior outside hitter Adisa Preston (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie) gave the Scots set point, 24-23, But two kills and a service ace closed out the set for the Pipers, 26-24. Preston tallied eight kills in the set.

In the second set, Macalester turned a 9-9 deadlock into a 15-9 advantage to cruise to a 25-20 win. Preston and sophomore right side Avery Rahe (Olathe, Kan./Olathe West) each had four kills to lead the Scots. Aiming to take a 2-1 lead, Macalester fought hard in a third set that saw neither team lead by more than two points. With the Scots up 22-20, Hamline reeled off a 5-1 run to wrap up the set, 25-23. Rahe had five kills in the set. In the fourth set, Macalester again held a late lead, 23-20 before the Pipers closed out the set and the match by scoring six of the final seven points, 26-24.

Preston registered five of her team-best 19 kills in the final set, while Rahe finished with 10 kills. First year outside hitter MiLani Terrell (Cypress, Texas/Tomball Memorial) added eight kills. First year setter Hannah Morrow (Raleigh, N.C./Millbrook) racked up 42 assists to go with 15 digs. Defensively, junior libero Torrance Williams (Houston, Texas/Yes Prep Northbrook) registered 25 digs, while first year middle blocker Sydney Stratton (North Liberty, Iowa/Liberty) contributed five blocks to go with six kills. Lindsay Eckelman and Elizabeth Lopata each had 11 kills for Hamline.

Macalester takes on Augsburg on the road on Friday, Oct. 28 in another MIAC match. The first serve is scheduled for 7:00 p.m. in Minneapolis, Minn.