SAINT MARY-OF-THE-WOODS, Ind. -- The Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College women's volleyball team battled toe-to-toe with visiting Rio Grande (Ohio) this afternoon (Oct. 26) inside the Knoerle Center for five sets but ended up falling 3-2 to the visitors inside the Knoerle Center.

SMWC fell to 28-5, 7-5 RSC while Rio Grande improved to 22-8, 10-2 RSC. It was the first loss this season for SMWC on their home court in 17 matches.

Alexis Keoho tallied 26 set assists and a pair of service aces in the narrow loss. Karla Melendez led the way with 16 kills while Lisanel Rodriguez posted 13. Isabel Hansen was huge at the net with six total blocks Leishmarie Virella posted 20 digs to lead the way while Jocelyn Chavez posted 19.

The Pomeroys posted a 25-18 victory in set number one before allowing Rio Grande rallies to give the visitors set wins of 25-20 and 25-19 heading into the fourth set.

SMWC raced out to an early advantage in set four before 25-16 to force the deciding fifth set. 

Rio Grande took a 6-4 lead in the decider before the Pomeroys won four points in a row to take an 8-6 lead on a kill from Rodriguez as the team's switched sides. The two teams would go back-and-forth but it was SMWC that took advantage of an attack error to take a 15-14 lead. The two teams would tie three more times past the 15 point mark until Rio Grande would eventually score the final two points for the 20-18 victory.

The Pomeroys will hit the road to take on in-state rival Oakland City on Tuesday, October 28 at 7 pm (CT) in another key River States Conference matchup.