CENTRAL, S.C. – Southern Wesleyan's home match winning streak is no more after falling in five thrilling sets on Tuesday night to Shorter University.

 
The Warriors won their first four matches at home before Tuesday's loss and in face SWU had claimed all 12 sets at home before dropping the first set to Shorter, 25-17.  After a back-and-forth pace to start the set the Lady Hawks (4-4) seized control for good to take a 14-10 lead.  The Warriors (15-7) battled back but Shorter closed the set by winning seven of the final eight points, thanks in large part to three SWU attack errors.

  
The second set was much the same as the first, but this time the Warriors came out on top, winning 25-17. SWU won six of seven points to turn a 12-12 match into an 18-13 lead.  The Warriors closed out the set by winning six of seven points, led by three kills from Courtney Williams.  After hitting just .028 in the first set the Warriors improved to hit .324 in the second.

While the third set score of 25-20, advantage Shorter, looked like it was the closest set to date, it really wasn't the story at all.  The Lady Hawks took an overwhelming 24-12 lead before SWU rallied for eight straight points to make it close.  Anna Graham closed out the set with one of her game-high 19 kills.

SWU returned the favor in the fourth, winning 25-21 after taking a big early lead.  The Warriors led 18-9 before Shorter started chipping away.  The Lady Hawks won six of the final nine points but Williams again ended the set with a kill.

 
The match headed to a fifth and deciding set, a story all too familiar for the Warriors this season.  SWU has played eight five-set matches so far the season.  In the fifth the Warriors took a 5-3 lead but Shorter won five of six to take an 8-6 lead into the changeover.  The Warriors worked back to tie the set at 10-10 but back-to-back points to Shorter gave them the lead SWU couldn't overcome.  Shorter closed out the set with a kill by Erica Baker, her 17th of the match.

Both teams were led by their middles, as Cherilyn Ramsey and Courtney Williams had 13 and 14 kills respectively.  Hayley Hoover added 11 kills from the right side.  Ramsey, Williams and Alysia Cruell added three total kills each.

  
Kelsey Deerinwater led all players with 27 digs in the match, her 10th match with 20+ digs.  Deerinwater added three service aces as did Cruell.  Megan Widener added 42 assists and nine digs.

  
The Warriors will hit the road this weekend to take on Belhaven on Friday and Loyola on Saturday in Southern States Athletic Conference action.