ATLANTA—Oglethorpe denied two match points in the third set on the way to battling back to force a fifth, but in the end lost to Hendrix 3-2 (25-20, 25-22, 27-29, 19-25, 15-8) Sunday at Dorough Field House.

Jackie Schner, Ellie Alfonso and Emma Williams posted huge efforts on the offensive front, combining for 43 kills in the loss.

"Our team showed a lot of growth today battling back from a two-set deficit against a top conference opponent," said head coach Anna Braun. "Our offense was balanced and stayed aggressive."

Oglethorpe battles back thanks to key runs

Unlike Saturday's match that saw Oglethorpe start strong, the Stormy Petrels started Sunday's slow, resulting in a two-set deficit. They even trailed the third set 14-12 until a 6-0 run highlighted by kills on all six points put them into the lead. Kinsey Wilson accounted for three of those kills during that stretch, including the last one which made it 18-14.

Hendrix battled back in that set to take the lead 23-22, and again at 24-23 and 27-26, but Oglethorpe had an answer on each occasion. Alfonso and Williams capped the set with back-to-back kills on the last two points.

In the fourth, Oglethorpe and Hendrix played even through the first 30 points, but the Petrels opened up a lead with a 6-1 run that helped them pull away and even the match at two games apiece.

The final set then saw a 3-3 tie before Hendrix won the next three straight, leading to an eventual 12-5 lead in the deciding game. Hendrix won the match on back-to-back kills of their own.

Match leaders

Schner posted a match-high 17 kills alongside 14 digs, one of three Petrels in double figure kills and one of five Petrels in double figure digs. Alfonso came next with 15 kills and 13 digs, and Williams posted 11 kills.

Kylee Zimmer tallied a team-high 17 digs with seven assists, Gabbi Phillips had a match-high 48 assists and 13 digs, and Sophia Sendoya had 12 digs.

Next up

Oglethorpe returns to the court on the road for the next five matches before returning home for its last three. The next home match will be a nonconference meeting with Covenant, whom the Stormy Petrels fell to last week in five, on Wednesday, Oct. 20, at 7 p.m. The regular season will then round out with Sewanee and Centre on Saturday-Sunday, Oct. 23-24, both at 12 p.m.