Chicago, Ill., September 19, 2021 – In a matchup of two nationally ranked teams, the No. 19 Washington University in St. Louis volleyball team was edged in a five-set battle (18-25, 11-25, 27-25, 25-12, 15-17) with No. 13 Chicago on Sunday afternoon.  

Today's contest marked final match of the UAA Round Robin #1 at the Ratner Center on the campus of UChicago.  

With the loss, the Bears move to 7-4 on the season and drop to 1-2 in UAA league play. UChicago moves to 7-3 and 2-1 in the UAA.  

WashU fell behind after a slow start in the opening set. The Bears clawed back from an early 5-1 deficit and tied things up at 7-7. Chicago then took the next five points for a 12-7 lead.  

The Bears cut the lead down to 19-16 later in the set, but the Maroons would win six of the final eight points to claim the first set.  

Things did not go as planned in the second frame with WashU falling behind 8-2 in the opening stages of the set.  

Once again, Chicago closed the set on another run, winning eight of the final nine points.  

WashU regrouped in an impressive manner in the third set. Knotted at six apiece, the Bears won six straight points with the run capped off by a block at the net by Alaina Bohrer and Caitlin Lorenz and a kill from Jasmine Sells for a 12-6 advantage.  

The remainder of the set was back and forth between the two squads as the Maroons closed the gap and tied up the set a total of six times.  

Even at 25, the Bears' resiliency showed as they took the set after taking the final two points off a kill from Michaela Bach and a service ace from Jordan Sandberg.  

WashU carried its momentum from the third set into the fourth frame with more great play. The Bears would break an early 6-6 tie by winning 13 of the next 15 points in the set to take a commanding 19-8 lead.  

A kill from Lucy Davis won the final point of the set-in favor of the Bears at 25-12 to force a fifth and final set.  

In the fifth, neither team could build a sizeable lead. WashU rallied back from a 5-3 deficit and took an 8-7 lead after Bohrer collected another kill.   

WashU went ahead 14-13 moments later following an attack error from Chicago to hold match point, but the Maroons won the next two to take a 15-14 lead.  

Despite facing match point, the Bears executed the next point flawlessly as Bohrer posted another kill to tie up the set at 15. 

However, Chicago would win the final two points of the set to take the match on back-to-back kills.  

Statistically, WashU set multiple new individual season and career records.  

Freshman setter Chloe Emch collected a season-high 40 assists and Michaela Bach led the Bears with a season-high 18 kills up front. 

Additionally, Taryn Gurbach produced a career-high 24 digs. 

Sells had another strong performance with 11 kills and 17 digs, while Lorenz finished with nine kills and a team-best four block assists. 

WashU set a new season mark on Sunday with 61 team kills, 76 digs, and 58 assists. 

The Bears are back in play on September 24 against Illinois Tech and Rose-Hulman at the Rose-Hulman Tournament.