NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Five Albion College starters reached double figures in kills and the Britons knocked down 17 blocks Wednesday night, but surrendering 19 points on serve and reception errors proved to be too much to overcome in a contest against an equally-matched rival.
Saint Mary's rallied to win the fourth and fifth sets to take a 27-25, 26-28, 21-25, 25-22, 18-16 victory over Albion in the Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association volleyball contest.
Taylor Rosenthal matched her career high of 15 kills and reached a career high with 10 blocks (three solo, seven assists). The first-year hitter from Vicksburg hit .275 with four errors in 40 attempts.
Halle Thom and Stephanie Thurner finished with 12 kills apiece, Jessica Konieczny added 11 kills and Lauren Outwater produced a double-double of 10 kills and 19 digs. Konieczny and Thurner added seven blocks each.
Libero Monica Shuk served up three aces and collected 24 digs.
Setter Ami Milligan stuffed her stat line with 42 assists and nine digs while hitting .800 with four kills in five attacks.
Albion held a two-point lead three times in the fifth set. The Britons led as late as 13-12, but Saint Mary's scored two in a row and the teams traded points from there until Saint Mary's won the final two points on a kill by Katie Hecklinski and a Briton attack error.
Hecklinski led all players with 24 kills and 30 digs. She finished the night hitting .304 with three errors in 69 attacks. Colleen Kilgallon added 16 kills and Meaghan Gibbons had 13 kills and 21 digs for the Belles.
Albion will travel to Earlham (Ind.) College for non-league matches against the Quakers and Franklin College on Saturday.