Box Score Eastern Mennonite University rallied from a one-set deficit to take the next two games, but ultimately fell in five games (3-2) to Guilford College Saturday afternoon in Yoder Arena.

Game scores were 25-15, 9-25, 23-25, 25-23, 19-17.

Guilford improves to 4-13 on the season and 2-3 in the Old Dominion Athletic Conference.

EMU drops to 4-11 overall and 0-5 in the ODAC.

"We had some times where we played well and the defense picked us up in the second and third sets," commented EMU head coach Steve Benson. "There were some tough breaks that didn't go our way in the fifth set and we have to work on controlling our hitting errors if we want to be successful."

The Lady Royals hit .417 in set one followed by a .312 mark in set two. The other three sets were a struggle for the home team as Guilford used EMU attack errors to their advantage. Guilford hit .308 in set four, and .259 in sets one and five, all Quaker wins.

Monika Burkholder (Linville, Va./Eastern Mennonite) had a team leading 14 kills to go along with three assisted blocks. Tabitha Bowman (Waynesboro, Va./Stuarts Draft) had another 12 kills for EMU.

Christine Bottles (Williamsburg, Va./Jamestown) recorded 43 assists and 17 digs for her first career EMU double-double. Jenny Blosser (Harrisonburg, Va./Eastern Mennonite) and Rebecca Breeden (Luray, Va./Page Co.) each tallied 14 digs.

Guilford was led by Anna Miller and Courtney Kosar. Miller scored 15 kills for a .267 hitting percentage (three errors, 45 attempts) with Kozar tallying 14 kills, a pair of service aces, and 12 digs.

Sets one and two were almost completely opposite in terms of the EMU attack. The Royals fell behind early in set one with Guilford going up 1-0. In set two, EMU came out crushing the ball as several attacks by Burkholder, Bowman, and Laura Stoltzfus (Parnell, Ia./Iowa Mennonite) found the hardcourt.

A see-saw battle took place in sets three and four with each team coming away with one victory. The fifth and deciding set also featured a fight for the lead with EMU going up 17-16 thanks to a block by Burkholder and Elisa Troyer (Harrisonburg, Va./Broadway).

The momentum shifted back to GC as the Quakers tied the set up at 17 all on a kill by Shanika Tunnell. A kill by Miller and an EMU attack error sealed the win for the visiting Quakers.

Bethany Hawks had 17 digs in the win for GC.

Stoltzfus finished the match with nine kills, four service aces, and 11 digs.

EMU will look to bounce back next week as the Lady Royals travel to Buena Vista, Va., for a match-up with the Knights of Southern Virginia. Game time is set for 6:30 p.m., on Tuesday, September 30.