The Belles lost their second straight volleyball match on Saturday, falling to Adrian College in four games. Saint Mary's finally came out strong, winning the first game but failed to capitalize and lost the next three. The loss drops the Belles to 1-7 overall this season. They have lost five of their last six divisional matchups and currently reside in seventh place in the MIAA. The match marked only the second time this year that Saint Mary's was able win the first game in the match. In game one, they defeated the Bulldogs, 30-25. The Belles lost the second game, managing to score only 17 points. Adrian College then made it three in a row by winning games three and four, 30-20 and 30-28. It was the defense that struggled on the night and failed to hold back Adrian's offensive attack. "Statistically speaking, and from game experience, I can confidently say that it was the defense," Saint Mary's Michelle Turley said. "Offensively, Adrian presented us with a stronger block than we are used to seeing, and our defense should've been stronger and more reliable than it was."On the day, Elise Rupright and Turley played well on offense, registering 14 and 13 kills, respectively. The defense was lead by Michelle Gary and Amanda David, both of whom had 17 digs. Shelly Bender was third on the team with 11 digs of her own. Saint Mary's has struggled from its first game of the season. Their defense and overall communication continues to hamper the team's growth and effectiveness. These problems need to be addressed quickly if they have any hopes of advancing into the tournament. "I think we are still in the process of trying to solidify a starting lineup," Turley said. "We have a lot of people competing for the same spot right now, and most days it just depends on whoever is playing better, but hopefully as the season continues to develop we will have a better indication of who those starters are."The win moves Adrian College to 6-7 on the year and puts them in fourth place in the conference with an overall record of 3-1. Saint Mary's does not take the court again until 7 p.m. Wednesday when it travels to the University of Chicago.
