HOUGHTON, NY – The Alfred University women's volleyball team opened Empire 8 play with a 3-2 five-set loss at Houghton University on Wednesday.
 
The Saxons (6-11, 0-1 Empire 8) fought valiantly, pushing the contest to a decisive fifth set after two major comebacks in the match. Set scores were 23-25, 25-20, 17-25, 25-22, 12-15.
 
Carleigh Santavy (Commerce, MI/Walled Lake Northern) recorded a career-high 20.5 points with 17 kills, four block assists, and two service aces. Taylor Malone (Horseheads, NY/Horseheads) added 19.0 points on 17 kills and two block assists, plus 10 digs.
 
Delaney Sims (Bogart, GA/George Walton Academy) finished with 40 assists, a career-high 18 digs and four kills. Madalynn McGowan (Corona, CA/Norco) registered a career-high 26 digs. Julia Abbott (Binghamton, NY/Binghamton) notched a season-high nine kills and three digs.
 
AUVB started strong, building a commanding 11-5 lead in the early points of the match. Santavy had four kills while Malone had two during the stretch. However, Houghton University (6-6, 1-0 Empire 8) battled back, tying the set at 23-23 before pulling ahead with back-to-back kills to take the 25-23 victory.
 
The Saxons stabilized their play and jumped out to a 9-5 lead. They maintained the lead through the rest of the set, winning 25-20 to even the match at 1-1.
 
After dropping the third set, AUVB found themselves in an early hole as it trailed 11-4. The Saxons slowly chipped away at the deficit. Four straight errors by the Highlanders and a kill by Malone put AUVB in front, 17-15. Houghton University tied the set at 17-all. Malone registered another kill that ignited an 8-5 run. A kill by Abbott and a Highlander error helped the Saxons hang on to win 25-22, forcing the fifth-set tiebreaker.
 
AUVB was down 7-2 to start the fifth but tallied six unanswered points to get in front by one. Houghton University scored the next four to take the lead back. Santavy tied the set at 11-all on an assist from Malone. But that was as far as the Saxons could get, as the Highlanders closed out the match with a 4-1 run.
 
AUVB returns to Terry S. Galanis Family Arena to host Elmira College for Homecoming and Family Weekend on Friday at 7:00 PM.