WINSTON SALEM, N.C. – After winning back-to-back sets to force a fifth set, the Averett University volleyball team's comeback fell short as it suffered a 3-2 loss on the road against Salem College. The Cougars lost 24-26, 27-29, 27-25, 25-21, 10-15.

Averett (5-7, 1-2 USA South) lost its first two sets, both of which went to extra points, but the Cougars turned it around out victorious in the third and fourth sets, before Salem (4-6, 2-1 USA South) ultimately slipped away in the fifth set. Each set was hard fought, with both teams struggling to truly pull away from each other, never earning more than a five point margin of victory in any given set.

Sophomore Brooke Aaron led the team with 11 kills and tied the team lead in digs with senior Emily Stanley with 25 apiece. Senior Jordan Pitzer was just behind Aaron with 10 kills, while junior Madison Dadez and sophomores McKenzie Miller and Myka Patterson logged eight kills each. Miller and senior Keenan Marks also tallied double-doubles, as Miller recorded 16 digs and a team-leading 30 assists and Marks notched 14 digs and 10 assists.

Up next for the Cougars is another conference road match against Mary Baldwin University on Wednesday at 7 p.m.