ROCKY MOUNT, N.C. - The Shenandoah University volleyball team took an early two game lead at USA South opponent NC Wesleyan but ultimately lost the match, 3-2, on Saturday afternoon.

The loss dropped the Hornets to 4-11 on the season and evened their conference record at 1-1 while the Bishops improved to 6-6 for the year and 2-2 in league play.

SU took the first two games with scores of 30-24 and 31-29 due in large part to a 29 kill performance from sophomore Jenny Gray (Sumerduck, Va./Liberty) during the course of the match.

Adding to the offensive firepower for the Hornets was junior Hannah Williams (Salem, Va./Glenvar) who tallied 23 kills of her own. Williams and Gray combined for 52 kills in the match, which was six fewer than the entire NCWC team. The duo was set up all afternoon by senior Lesley Beard (Youngstown, Ohio/Austintown Finch) who recorded a match high 51 assists.

The Shenandoah scoring outburst was just not enough, however, as the Hornets dropped the third and fourth games to the Bishops 30-25 and 31-29, respectively. NC Wesleyan then held off a surging Hornets squad in the final match, 15-13, to earn the victory.

A complete boxscore can be found at http://www.su.edu/athletics/vb/2003/092703.htm

SU returns to the court Tuesday when the Hornets host USA South rival Christopher Newport at 6:30.