SHIPPENSBURG, Pa. – In a battle between two of the top teams in the PSAC, a fifth set would be needed to decide a winner on Saturday. The East Stroudsburg University women's volleyball team dropped a 3-2 decision against Shippensburg after rallying to win the fourth set.
 
ESU (22-5, 12-2 PSAC Central) saw its winning streak snapped at 10 matches as the Warriors fell for the first time since the beginning of October. The Warriors recorded victories in both the second and fourth sets, while the Raiders rallied for the final three points in the fifth set.
 
Senior Sarah Smith tallied a season-high 22 kills for ESU and added 24 digs, while senior Sam Dunphy recorded 14 kills, 11 digs, and eight total blocks. Sophomore Caylinn Davis also notched a double-double for the Warriors as she finished with 12 kills and 16 digs. Freshman Rachel Cain added 50 assists for ESU, while sophomore Emily Meredith tallied 37 digs.
 
The match featured 23 lead changes, including eight in the fifth set and seven during the first set. The score was tied 48 times between the Warriors and Raiders. The sides also combined for 25 total blocks in the match.
 
ESU opened the second set on a 3-0 run as it looked to even the match against the Raiders. The Warriors took an 11-9 lead in the set before Shippensburg rallied for four consecutive points to make it 13-11. ESU quickly knotted the score at 13-13 following a kill from Davis and would eventually take the lead (15-13) after an attacking error by the Raiders.
 
The Warriors would take the set by a score of 25-22 off a kill from Davis as ESU recorded the final three points to knot the match 1-1.
 
After dropping the third set, ESU would trail by as many as eight points in the fourth set against the Raiders. Trailing 22-15, Davis started a rally for the Warriors with a kill as ESU trimmed the deficit to 22-20.
 
Redshirt junior Trea-sure Ketter delivered a kill that knotted the score 26-26 as ESU gained momentum. A block by Smith and Ketter followed by a kill from Dunphy secure the 28-26 victory for ESU and sent the match to a decisive fifth set.
 
In the fifth set, ESU turned a 6-5 deficit into a 9-6 advantage and forced the Raiders to call a timeout. The Warriors would be unable to hold the momentum as Shippensburg rallied for four consecutive points to take a 10-9 advantage.
 
The Warriors pulled within a point of clinching the set and match as Davis delivered a kill followed by a block from Dunphy and sophomore Kenzie Guimont. ESU led again 16-15 later in the set but the Raiders countered with a 3-0 run to secure the set 18-16 and take the match against the Warriors.
 
ESU returns to Koehler Fieldhouse to host Millersville on Nov. 8 for High School Night before honoring its senior class on Saturday afternoon against West Chester.