ATHENS, Ga. – Jacksonville University volleyball concluded the Bulldog Classic with a four-set loss to Army on Friday afternoon.
 
The Dolphins (3-6) rallied to force a fourth set, but ultimately could not close out the Black Knights.
 
SET ONE
 
The opening set was tied at four early, with Army growing the lead to three, 8-5, and keeping JU at bay for the next several points. A 3-0 Army run pushed the advantage to 12-7, before the Dolphins took a timeout. That was followed immediately by a pair of kills from Anna Erickson and Alija Heins to fuel a 5-0 run that tied the set at 12 and prompted a timeout by AWP. The Black Knights also responded well to their timeout, scoring five-straight out of the break to retake the lead, 17-12.
 
After a second JU timeout, Army scored three more, stretching the advantage to 20-12, before Erickson got JU back on the board with a kill. The Dolphins got another Erickson kill and a block by Heins and Jenna McNamara as part of a stretch where JU scored six of eight points to cut it to 23-19, but the Black Knights scored the final two to take the opening set, 25-19.
 
SET TWO
 
The two teams were tied after the first 10 points in the second set, with Army using an 8-0 run to gain separation and a 12-5 lead. They kept the pressure on, building the lead to 17-8 before JU used a timeout and came back scoring five straight, capped by Lyric Love combining with McNamara for a block and then picking up consecutive kills to make it 17-13.
 
Four of the next five points belonged to JU as well, with Claire Mrukowski joining McNamara and Love in picking up kills to bring the Dolphins within two, 19-17. Army was able to collect itself after the Dolphin push, and scored six of the final eight points of the set, winning 25-19.
 
SET THREE
 
The third set also started off tied after 10 points, with JU finding its groove trailing 7-5. Erickson had a kill and JU forced Army into a multitude of errors to help kickstart a 5-0 run for the Dolphins, which led to a timeout for the Black Knights. Out of the timeout, Erickson added another kill and Rebecca Rocassin scored a service ace as the run stretched to 11-0 in favor of JU, who led 16-7 before Army got back on the board.
 
Heins and Myah Robinson scored kills in a 3-0 stretch, allowing JU to double-up Army, 20-10. Robinson, McNamara and Erickson twice contributed kills down the stretch and the Dolphins never let Army have a chance in a 25-13 set win.
 
SET FOUR
 
The fourth set started off the way the third left off for the Dolphins, with Callie Kasun scoring an ace and Heins picking up a kill as part of a 5-0 run to open the set. It was 6-0 before Army scored, but the Black Knights soon put pressure on JU. Love, Erickson and Heins had kills to keep the Dolphins in front by three, but Army managed to tied things up at 12. Heins scored again to briefly put JU back in front, 13-12, but Army followed with a 3-0 run.
 
The lead grew to four for the Black Knights, and JU called a timeout, with Robinson scoring out of the break to get JU back within three, 18-15. A late 3-0 run for the Dolphins thanks to Rocassin scoring a kill and joining forces with Love for a block made it 22-18 Army, but JU could get no closer, dropping the final set 25-20 and the match 4-1.
 
UP NEXT
 
Jacksonville heads south next weekend for the 305 Challenge, facing off against FIU on Friday and Indiana and Miami on Saturday.
 
NOTABLE NUMBERS
 

• Lyric Love was one block shy of a career-high, as she totaled eight on the day, and led the team with 12.5 points
• Anna Erickson recorded her sixth double-digit kill match of the season
• The Dolphins totaled 13 blocks, a season-high
• Four players had double-digit digs, with Niccola Bozzini leading the way with a career-best 13