MISHAWAKA, Ind. – The Indiana Tech volleyball team dropped their season opener to #RV Ashford (Iowa), 3-1 (25-15, 23-25, 25-19, 25-16) on Friday afternoon at the Bethel College Invitational.
 
The Warriors traded points with the Saints through the first seven serves of the match, leading 4-3, before Ashford went on an 11-point streak to jump ahead 14-4. A kill from junior outside hitter Jazmin Alexander broke the streak, but not for long as the Saints gained serve control just a point later.
 
Another five point stretch for the Saints put them ahead 18-6 and all but seal the first set. Tech would go on a four point streak to close the gap to 24-15, but it was not enough.
 
The second set was a back and forth affair between the two teams, with neither team stretching a lead to two until the 16-15 mark, when Ashford went on a five point streak to lead 20-16. After a timeout by head coach Kourtney Wilson, the Warriors were able to regain serve behind an Alexander kill. After trading serves, a Karli Jones kill and Taylor Kelso ace notched things up at 21.
 
Following a Saints timeout, Tech was able to able to go up 23-21 before Ashford tied it back up. A kill from junior Cassie Sarabia put the Warriors at set point before freshman Aubree Eggers put the exclamation point with the kill to notch the match at one.
 
The third set followed the same formula as the second, with both sides switching leads and never getting more than a three point lead until late in the set, when the Saints were able to capitalize off a Mara Zell service error and rattle off three straight points to lead 19-15. The Warriors continued to fight, closing the gap 21-18 behind an Eggers kill and Saints attack error, but it was not enough as the home team prevailed.
 
The Warriors jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the fourth set before the Saints went on an 8-1 run and never relinquish the lead. Zell would serve up two aces in a row to pull Tech within two, but it would not be enough as the Saints seized control and didn't let the Warriors serve more than twice in a row the rest of the match.
 
Kelso led all Warriors with 24 digs, while Jones and senior Katelyn St. Martin each contributed 14 and 13, respectively. Jones also added 12 assists. Alexander was the only Warriors to achieve double digit kills with 11, while Zell notched four aces in her first collegiate match.
 
The loss drops Tech to 0-1 on the young season. The Warriors will take on Warner University (Fla.) at 4 p.m. in match two of the Bethel Invitational.