CENTRAL, S.C. – Southern Wesleyan's comeback bid fell short on Saturday, losing 3-2 to Spring Hill College after dropping the first two sets to the Badgers.

The Warriors (20-9, 7-2 SSAC) dropped the first two sets 25-21 and 25-17 before rallying to take the third 25-23 and the fourth 25-20.  In the fifth the Badgers (24-3, 10-0 SSAC) took control to win 15-7.  Spring Hill has won 16 straight matches and is the lone unbeaten in the SSAC while the Warriors suffer back-to-back losses for the first time since the first weekend of the season when they dropped three in a row.

On Saturday eight players reached double digits in kills, four for each team.  Jacinta Hoffpauir led all players with 16 kills and hit .267.  She added 11 digs to notch a double-double.  Courtney Williams added 15 kills and four total blocks.  Cherilyn Ramsey and Hayley Hoover were also in double digits for SWU with 11 and 10 kills.  Hoover added 26 digs.

After dropping the first two sets it looked as if Spring Hill would sweep the Warriors but SWU bounced back late in the third.  Trailing 20-15 the Warriors took five of the next six points to close within one.  The Warriors took the lead as Williams, Hoffpauir and Hoover all added kills.  After Spring Hill closed to 24-23, Williams delivered again for the Warriors to close out the set.

SWU built a big lead in the fourth, with leads at 10-5 and 14-7 but the Badgers wouldn't go away.  A 19-13 Warrior lead quickly got close as the Badgers rattled off four straight to close the gap to 19-17.  The Warriors absorbed the pressure and scored four of the next five to all but seal the set.  Hoffpauir put down the final two kills to take the set 25-20.

The Warriors won the first three points in the fifth but SHC responded with three of their own.  After a kill by Williams to give the Warriors a 4-3 lead, the Badgers scored nine straight to take a 12-4 and control of the set.

  
Megan Widener led all players with 57 assists and also had 16 digs.  Kelsey Deerinwater added 25 digs for the Warriors.  Meredith Donald led all players with 33 digs.  Spring Hill recorded 16 total blocks as Megan Haber led the way with seven total blocks.

The Warriors remain a game up on Emmanuel and Coastal Georgia for third in the SSAC, both teams the Warriors will have a return match against.  Spring Hill builds a two-game lead over SWU and Mobile and remain the only unbeaten team.

SWU will finish the season with four of five matches on the road.  The Warriors head to Brenau and Faulkner next weekend.