Valiant comeback falls short in five-set thriller with Loras

INDIANOLA, Iowa -- Lexie Parks tied a career-high with 17 kills and the Simpson volleyball team erased a 2-0 deficit only to fall in the fifth set of a 3-2 loss to Loras on Saturday at Cowles Fieldhouse.

Loras won by set scores of 25-21, 30-28, 23-25, 23-25, 18-16.

The Storm are now 8-16 overall and 2-6 in the Amerian Rivers Conference, out of contention for a spot in the upcoming league tournament. Loras is now 17-8 overall and 4-3 in the league.

Simpson carried the momentum of wins in sets three and four into set five, building a 9-5 advantage in the deciding frame. But Loras scored the next seven points, only to have Simpson battle back to 16-16 on a kill by Hannah Lester. A kill by Abby Allegeyer and a Simpson attack error closed the 2-hour contest.

Parks hit .342 and led four Simpson players in double figures. Lester had 13 kills at a .400 clip and Megan LeMay added 12 and three total blocks. Morgan Taylor had a double-double with 11 kills and a team-high 18 digs and Alyssa Mathews had another big night with 56 assists.

Kayla Kinney and Kelly Boge finished with 15 kills apiece to lead the Duhawks. Loras had 13 service aces paced by Jenna Mazur's five. 

UP NEXT

The Storm host Graceland on Tuesday, Oct. 23 in the final home match of the season. Start time is set for 7:30 p.m. at Cowles Fieldhouse.