NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Stillman College women's volleyball held close in the first two sets but ultimately lost 3-0 at Fisk University to open HBCU Athletic Conference play Saturday morning. The Tigers immediately turned around to meet Brescia University in non-conference action, also losing 3-0. The tri-match closes out a stretch of eight matches over nine days to open the season.

Paige Eason led Stillman with 12 kills and two service aces on the day, while Erin Nelson had 20 total set assists and Emily Powell led the defense with 30 total digs.

Match 1: Fisk 3, Stillman 0 (25-20, 25-21, 25-7)

A five-point run created distance, 13-5, for the host Bulldogs early in the first set. Fisk went on to close out the set, 25-20.

In the second set, Stillman and Fisk traded the lead seven eight times. A Raine Patterson kill gave Stillman a 21-19 lead, but Fisk used four kills, a service ace and Stillman attack error to close the match on a six-point rally, 25-21. Fisk rolled through the third set, 25-7.

Paige Eason led Stillman with seven kills in the match, while Emily Powell had 15 digs. Erin Nelson had seven assists and Kelis Conley had six.


Match 2: Brescia 3, Stillman 0 (25-13, 25-19, 25-20)

Raine Patterson and Ava Cameron each had six kills to pace the Tigers in their second event of the tri-match. Paige Eason added five kills.

Brescia jumped out to a 10-1 lead in the first set and led 15-3 before Stillman used a 9-5 run to pull within eight points, 20-12. The Bearcats closed the match, 25-13. The Bearcats controlled the second set en route to their 25-19 win. Stillman led most of the third set, until the Bearcats broke a 19-19 tie with the first of four Stillman attack errors that helped close the match.

NEXT: Stillman (1-7, 0-1 HBCUAC) will have a five-day break before hosting Wilberforce University in the first home conference match of the season in Birthright Alumni Hall on Friday, Sept. 13 at 6 p.m.