SPRINGFIELD, Massachusetts - The American International College volleyball team lost a heartbreaking five-set thriller against Stonehill College in Northeast-10 Conference play on Thursday, September 26.

FAST FACTS:
FINAL SCORE: Stonehill 3, AIC 2 (24-26, 26-28, 25-23, 25-16, 10-15)
RECORDS: Stonehill moves to 8-3 overall and 1-0 in NE10 play, while AIC moves to 2-12 overall and 0-2 in NE10 play.
LOCATION: Merkert Gym North Easton, Massachusetts

STAT LEADERS:
Game 1
AIC:
Andrea Serra: 12 kills, 19 digs
Sarah Lowery: 21 kills, nine digs, four blocks
Jana Potic: 12 kills, eight digs
Amanda Rodriguez: 21 digs
Naomi Eckert: 45 assists, seven digs

Stonehill:
Abby Remick: 18 kills
Sophia Poveda: 12 kills, 16 digs
Shannon, Burgess: 10 kills
Lauren Wilke: 53 assists, seven digs

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Trailing 5-3 in the first set, the Skyhawks took their first multiple point lead of the match on a 6-0 run that made it 9-5. Graduate student outside hitter Sarah Lowery ended the run with a kill off the pass from freshman Naomi Eckert. The Yellow Jackets' defense then forced three straight errors to tie the match up at nine and forced a Stonehill timeout. Tied at 20, the Skyhawks took a 21-20 lead before AIC answered with two points. Stonehill stopped the Yellow Jackets' mini run with a single point. Senior outside hitter Jana Potic recorded a kill and a Skyhawks error forced the Skyhawks to use their last timeout. Out of the huddle, they took the next four points to take the set 26-24.
• The second set was just as nip and tuck as the first. The first run of three points or greater came from the Skyhawks with a score of 11-9 in favor of AIC. Stonehill went on a 5-0 spree that forced head coach Matt Cribbin to use a timeout. Out of the break, the Yellow Jackets took seven of the next 10 points to take the 18-16 lead. Late in the set, the teams were tied at 20, 21, 22, 23, 24, 25, and 26. The swing came in favor of the Skyhawks when they used back-to-back kills by Abby Remick to take the set.
• The Skyhawks tried to keep things rolling as they took the early 4-1 lead. AIC got things back on track with a 7-2 run that forced the Stonehill coach to call a timeout. Leading 10-8 in the set, Lowery started yet another AIC run. The run included taking six of the next seven points and a pair of kills from Potic. Down 21-14, the Skyhawks flew back into the set and made it a two point game at 24-22 and forced Cribbin to call a timeout. Out of the break, the Hawks took the next point before an attack error by the Skyhawks gave AIC the set.
• Stonehill trailed 4-2 when the Skyhawks went on 4-0 run and took their first multiple point lead of the match at 6-4. AIC trailed 8-6 when they went on a 6-1 run that included kills by Lowery, Serra, and Potic and forced a Skyhawk timeout. Out of the stoppage, freshman middle blocker Katie Bannon and Lowery rejected an attack by the Skyhawks to keep things going. Leading 20-15, the Yellow Jackets ended the fourth set on a 5-1 run to take the set 25-16.
• After squandering a 2-0 lead, the Skyhawks were determined to take the fifth set as they earned the early 4-2 lead. Leading 9-8, the Skyhawks started to pull away as they took six of the next eight points to take the set and the match.

BUZZWORTHY:

• Lowery tied her career high of 21 kills. She set her personal best back on September 20, 2018 against LIU Post when she was a member of the Saint Anselm College program.

KILLS, POINTS, AND DIGS OH MY:

• With 1,340 career kills, Potic became the program's rally scoring era leader. She is now trailing Judith Swift '01 for the overall program record of 1,583.
• Potic also recently became the program's rally scoring era leader in points. Her 1,552.5 points recently passedEllisha Terry'12 for second all-time in program history.
• Including her eight digs tonight, Potic needs 45 digs to surpass the 1,000 career dig plateau.
• Lowery is also close to breaking a 1,000 plateau. With tonight's 25 points, she is just 7.5 points away from the milestone.

NEXT UP:

• The Yellow Jackets will continue their road trip as they will take part in a tri-match against Mercy College and Bentley University in Dobbs Ferry, New York on Saturday, September 28.

STAY CONNECTED:

• For more updates about the AIC volleyball team, follow@AICvbonTwitterand likeAIC VolleyballonFacebook. For updates on all AIC Yellow Jackets teams, follow@AICAthleticsonTwitterandInstagram, and likeAIC Yellow JacketsonFacebook.