GAFFNEY, S.C. – Limestone College (10-15, 8-3 CC) women's volleyball dropped a heartbreaker to conference-leading Erskine College (16-6, 12-0 CC) on Saturday, October 25 at the Timken Center. The Saints pushed the highly regarded Flying Fleet to the limit, but were unable to finish them off as they fell 3-2 (25-18, 25-19, 23-25, 15-25, 18-20).

The match came down the fifth and final set after Limestone took the first two sets and Erskine countered by taking third and fourth sets, respectively. In an all-time classic, the Flying Fleet managed to squeak out a 20-18 victory when Limestone was called on a lifting error to end the game.

The final result soured what was an incredible outing by freshman outside hitter Darla Svoboda (Cockeysville, Md.) who produced a career-high 20 kills on a .410-attack percentage. Time and time again she was there to give the Saints a boost when they needed it. Svoboda also had eight digs.

Limestone came out the gates with an extra pep in their step as they fed off the raucous Timken Center crowd.

Carrying a slim 12-10 advantage, the Saints exploded with a decisive 8-1 run to give them enough cushion to take the set, 25-18. That defining run was propelled by a kill by from Svoboda, an ace by freshman setter Mary Kate Katarzynski (Winfield, Ill.) and six errors by the Flying Fleet. Svoboda also produced a set-high four kills.

The second set was a much tighter affair as the two teams traded points back-and-forth until late in the match.

After Erskine got a kill to get within two at 18-16, LC rattled off four straight points which included a kill by junior outside hitter Regan Youngs (Homewood, Ala.) to take a 22-16 lead that they never relinquished.  The Blue and Gold took set two 25-19 with Svoboda and Youngs each drilling four kills to pace the attack.

Erskine did not go away easily though as they came back to take the third set by the score of 25-23. It would be a set remembered as one the Saints let get away because they led by as much seven points (19-12) late in the period.

The missed chance in the previous set seemed to come back to haunt the Blue and Gold as Erskine seized control early in the four set never relinquished. Four kills by the Fleet's Kelly Sullivan and poor attacking doomed Limestone as EC took the frame, 25-15.

Youngs was for strong Limestone as she chipped in 13 kills from her outside hitter spot. Freshman setter Natalie Tucker (Isle of Palms, S.C.) also had a sensational outing as she produced a double-double of 46 assists and 13 digs. Tucker's 46 assists were a career-high.

Erskine had the trio of Catherine McAlister, Kelly Sullivan and Caitlin Bullock to each drill over 10 kills. The Flying Fleet's setter Kristen Dodge chipped in a game-high 49 assists.

Limestone will return to action next Tuesday, October 28 when the Warriors of Southern Wesleyan University come to the Timken Center. The action is set to get underway at 7 p.m.