AMHERST, New York- The American International College volleyball team was looking to punch their ticket to the Elite Eight on Saturday night when they took on the Wildcats of Daemen College. The Wildcats had the home court advantage as the host, but AIC came away victorious in five sets, with scores of 25-21,25-15, 26-28, 20-25, and 15-9.

The first set was one for the ages. The first time either team had more than a single-point lead was at 4-2 in favor of the Wildcats. The score was 17-all when the Yellow Jackets went on a 5-0 run to put them up 22-17. The Wildcats tried to come back, but with set point, Lauren Pires nailed the set-winning kill on a pass from Dolores Kopren and took the first set 25-21.

Despite taking the first set, the Yellow Jackets knew the battle was still ramping up. A 7-7 game quickly turned into a 10-7 Yellow Jacket lead and forced the Wildcats to call their first timeout of the set. The timeout didn't work immediately, as the Yellow Jackets forced a Wildcat error. The next two points would go in favor of Daemen. The Yellow Jackets kept their heads up and strung together three points, so the Wildcats used their final timeout of the set as the Yellow Jackets led, 17-11. But once again the timeout did not work, as the Yellow Jackets went on a 12-4 run to end the second set, 25-15.

As the each team talked in their huddle, you could sense the confidence from the Yellow Jackets. The Wildcats came out with urgency as they took the first two points of the set before committing an error. They would increase their lead to four with the score at 8-4, but the Yellow Jackets swarmed back on a 6-2 run and tied the match at 10. The Wildcats had the 17-15 led when they had back-to-back kills and Yellow Jackets head coach Matt Cribbin decided he wanted to talk to his team. The Yellow Jackets called another timeout with the score at 21-16. The second timeout helped as the Yellow Jackets pulled to within two, 21-19, and forced a Wildcat timeout. Coming out of the timeout, the Yellow Jackets took the next two points to tie the game, and as expected the Wildcats took the timeout.

The Yellow Jackets trailed 24-23, but a Wildcat service error tied the set at 25. It was the Wildcats who took the next point and were on the verge of winning their first set of the match. A Yellow Jacket service error gave the Wildcats the 27-26 lead. They took the opportunity as Bailey Dolegowski aced the set-winning point.

After a hard-fought third set, the Yellow Jackets refocused and took the first two points of the fourth set. The Wildcats came back and tied the game at 3-3 before the Yellow Jackets retook the lead. The Wildcats used an early timeout as they trailed 14-9 after a Diva Rivas-Reyes kill. As the Wildcats came out of the timeout, they went on a 6-1 run to tie the set up at 15.

The timeout did not help as the Wildcats took the next point and the lead. Their run did not stop there as took the next point and made it a two point game, 17-15. The Wildcats would take the set 25-20 and force the winner-take-all set.

The Yellow Jackets came out ready to go in the fifth set as they took the 4-0 lead and forced a Wildcat timeout. The Wildcats' timeout worked as it threw off the run, but it did not keep the Yellow Jackets down. As the Yellow Jackets score, the gym grew quieter and quieter. Pires sent a Kopren pass down on the Wildcat side to make it 9-4. The Wildcats were rattled and needed a timeout. The Yellow Jackets put the Wildcats' backs against the wall at 14-6, but the Wildcats put up a fight. They took three points to make it 14-9. The Yellow Jackets took the match on an error by the Wildcats.

The Yellow Jacket made program history for the third straight night as they won another postseason game. Freshman Jana Potic led the team with 15 kills and had 13 digs. Lauren Pires and Diva Riva-Reyes each had 14 kills. Pires swung .458 and only had three errors. Annie Boele had 12 kills and 10 digs. Dolores Kopren had 42 assist and 15 digs. Mercy Rivera dug 30 balls out to lead the team.

Kopren, Pires and Riva-Reyes made the All-Region Tournament team.

The Yellow Jacket return to action on Thursday, December 8. The team will find out who they play on Sunday, December 4.