The Oglethorpe volleyball team fell in straight sets to the home-standing Birmingham-Southern Panthers in Birmingham, Ala., Saturday, 3-0.

The Stormy Petrels had difficulty getting anyting going against the Panthers, losing 25-16, 25-20, 25-15. They did get 23 digs from senior libero Megan Makuck, 16 digs from freshman defensive specialist Gianna Zitello and 13 digs from senior outside hitter Anna Marie DiSalvo, but had difficulty offensively, as no Stormy Petrel reached double-digit kills or assists for the match.

The Petrels started off well in the first set, jumping out to a 6-2 lead over Birmingham-Southern. However, Birmingham-Southern countered with an 18-6 run of their own, building a 20-12 advantage. Oglethorpe came back and won four of the next five points, cutting the Panther lead to 21-16. However, Birmingham-Southern finished the set off with four straight points to win it, 25-16.

The Petrels fell behind again in the second set as Birmingham-Southern ran off 12 out of 13 points to take a 17-7 advantage. Oglethorpe fought back, though, embarking on a 9-3 run of their own to pull to within four points, 20-16. The Petrels got as close as three, cutting the Panther lead down to 22-19. However, the home side closed it out from there, winning the set, 25-20.

In the final set, Oglethorpe fell behind 4-0 and was never able to tie the set or take the lead. They got as close as a point several times and still trailed just 12-10, but Birmingham-Southern went on a 9-0 run, taking a 19-10 lead and essentially putting the match away. The Petrels got no closer than seven the rest of the set, which the Panthers won, 25-15.

The loss drops the Petrels to 15-15 on the season, 3-10 in SAA play. They currently sit in a tie with sewanee for sixth in the league, and whether or not they take the sixth or the seventh seed into the upcoming SAA Tournament will depend on the results of Sunday's matches. The Petrels will be taking on Millsaps in Jackson, Miss., beginning at 3 p.m. Eastern, while Sewanee will go against Rhodes in Memphis, Tenn.