ST. PAUL, Minn. – The Macalester College volleyball team opened play at the Macalester Invitational with a win over the Lewis & Clark Pioneers and a loss to the Grinnell Pioneers Friday night in the Leonard Center. The matches also served as the home opener for the Scots, who are now 5-2 on the season.

Against Lewis & Clark, Macalester dropped the first set, 25-18 before cruising to wins in the second and third sets, 25-11 and 25-17. Junior right side Avery Rahe (Olathe, Kan./Olathe) tallied three kills apiece in the first two sets and five kills in the third set to pace the Scots. In the fourth set, the Scots trailed 21-15, as the Pioneers looked to send the match to a fifth set. But two kills from senior outside hitter Adisa Preston (Eden Prairie, Minn./Eden Prairie), two service aces by junior defensive specialist Sarah Bohrer (Minneapolis, Minn./Edina) and a match-winning kill from senior setter Nicole Norton (Brussels, Wis./Southern Door) helped Macalester record 10 of the last 11 points of the set to win, 25-22.

Rahe finished with a team-best 12 kills, while Preston notched five of her 11 kills in the final set. Frist year outside hitter Ella Cohen-Richie (Chicago, Ill./Univ. of Chicago Laboratory Schools) tallied eight kills and 14 digs, with Norton finishing with 30 assists. Senior middle blocker Stephanie Geber (Oviedo, Fla./Oviedo) registered seven blocks to go with six kills, and Preston had five blocks. Senior libero Torrance Williams (Houston, Texas/Yes Prep Northbrook) matched Cohen-Richie with 14 digs.

In the final match of the night, the Scots battled Grinnell through three close sets but came up short, 25-23, 25-22, 25-23. Macalester led in each set, only to have Grinnell gain the upper hand down the stretch. Rahe was dominant at times, delivering a season-best 16 kills and a .394 hitting percentage to go with three blocks. Cohen-Richie had six kills and six digs, and Norton added 24 assists and eight digs. Sophomore middle blocker Sydney Stratton (North Liberty, Iowa/Liberty) aided the defense with four blocks, while Williams notched 20 digs.

The Scots will face Minnesota Morris at 11:00 a.m. and UW-Superior at 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 14 to close out the Macalester Invitational.