HASTINGS, Neb. – The Ottawa University women's volleyball team battled through five sets but came up short against the College of Saint Mary, falling 3-2 (25-23, 25-20, 20-25, 23-25, 12-15) on Saturday afternoon inside Lynn Farrell Arena.

The Braves came out strong, taking the first two sets behind efficient offense and solid defensive play. Ottawa hit .297 in the second set with 16 kills, led by Bailee Nickel (16 kills, 3 blocks) and Campbell Stark (14 kills, .314 hitting, 5 blocks). Madison Brauner ran the offense with 24 assists and added 11 digs, while Makela Martinez chipped in 24 assists and a service ace.

Defensively, Ottawa tallied 79 digs and 17 total blocks, highlighted by Lillian Holden (7 blocks) and Brittan Lee (3 blocks). Carson Schuman anchored the back row with a team-high 17 digs.
The Flames rallied in the third and fourth sets, using a balanced attack to force a decisive fifth. Despite seven kills and a .238 hitting percentage in the final frame, the Braves were edged 15-12.
Ottawa finished the night with 55 kills, hitting .147 as a team.

The Braves (0-2) return to the court on Friday, August 29 at the CSM Labor Day Classic in Omaha, Neb. Ottawa will open the classic against Concordia University. The match is scheduled to begin at 12:00 p.m.