PITTSBURGH, Pa. – The Geneva College women's volleyball team's recent slide continued on Thursday night with a straight-set loss at Chatham by a score of 18-25, 18-25, 20-25.  The Golden Tornadoes have now lost five straight matches since their straight-set victory at Pitt-Greensburg two weeks ago.

Geneva took a brief 4-3 lead in the first set behind a kill from junior Emily Nelson and back-to-back aces from senior Zoe Pifer.  However, Chatham responded over the next several minutes with a 14-5 run to take a 17-9 lead, and the Cougars eventually closed out the set, 25-18.

Chatham took control of the second set early, opening with an 8-2 run.  Geneva closed within three points twice, the last time after an ace from sophomore Daphne Alexander, 12-9, but the Cougars answered with a 7-2 run to take a 19-11 edge, and Chatham closed out the set with an identical score as the first set, 25-18.

The third set was close early, with back-to-back kills from Nelson and sophomore Gracyn Lee pulling Geneva within 9-8.  The Golden Tornadoes stayed with Chatham, but the women could never take the lead.  They pulled within one point again late, 20-19, after kills from senior Megan Veon and sophomore Katie Seboe, but the Cougars closed out the set, and the match, with a 5-1 run to win 25-20.

Nelson led the team with nine kills, while Seboe finished with seven kills and Veon six kills.  Graduate student Savannah Byers had a team-high 18 assists.  Junior Heathe Seubert led the team with 11 digs.

Geneva will get a weekend break before returning to action next Wednesday with a road match at Bethany at 7:00 p.m.