Box Score 1 | Box Score 2

Lourdes University ran into a pair of tough opponents on Friday afternoon in the opening day of the Michigan-Dearborn Earlybird Challenge, falling in three sets against both Saint Francis (Ill.) and #25 Indiana-East at the UMD Fieldhouse in Dearborn, Mich.  The Gray Wolves fell 25-22, 25-12, 25-12 against the Fighting Saints in the opener before dropping a 25-17, 25-10, 25-12 decision against the Red Wolves in match two.
 
“We played some very good opponents today,” head coach Greg Reitz stated at the day's conclusion.  “They showed us what you need to do to be a top team.  You have to limit the errors and be more efficient all-around.”
 
Set one against Saint Francis was close throughout, with the Gray Wolves hitting .310 as a team while committing just four attack errors.  Three service aces by the Fighting Saints proved to be the difference though, as Saint Francis jumped on top with a set one victory.
 
The Fighting Saints hit .481 in the second set and used a 16-7 run to close the set to take a 2-0 advantage.  Saint Francis then scored six straight points midway through set three to break it open and secure the match victory.
 
Lourdes hit just .160 for the match after the strong opening set, and was led by Katie McKenty's (Toledo, Ohio/Notre Dame H.S.) 10 kills.  Andrea Brown (Northwood, Ohio/Northwood H.S.) added five kills while hitting .833 in the middle, while Michi Jimenez (Vega Baja, P.R ./Juan Quirindongo Morrell H.S.) and Alyssa Pelish (Toledo, Ohio/Central Catholic H.S.) each tallied nine digs for the Gray Wolves.  Jimenez also had 24 assists for Lourdes.
 
Jazzmyne Robbins led Saint Francis (1-0) with 16 kills and a .520 hitting percentage while the Fighting Saints hit .330 as a team for the match.  Dana Wettergren added 13 digs for Saint Francis. 
 
The Gray Wolves hung with the 25^th-ranked team in the country for most of set one before falling 25-17.  The Red Wolves scored the first eight points of set two to take control while a 9-3 run in set three broke that one open.
 
Indiana-East (6-0) hit .462 for the match, paced by Brianna Strete's 13 kills and .929 hitting percentage. 
 
McKenty led Lourdes with seven kills while Jimenez had 13 assists and six digs.  Brown tallied three service aces.
 
“Katie played well both as an outside and on the right side,” Reitz added.  “Andrea served well most of the day with three aces in the second match against a good ball control team.”
 
Lourdes (4-3) will return to the court on Saturday for two more matches at the Michigan-Dearborn Earlybird Challenge.  The Gray Wolves will face Bethel (Ind.) at 10:30 a.m. before battling Indiana-South Bend in the 2:30 p.m. match.
 
“We need to raise our level to our opponent's,” Reitz concluded.  “We didn't match those efforts today.  We need better execution to come away with success.”