BARBOURVILLE, Ky.— The Montreat volleyball team closed out its week of three road matches on Saturday afternoon at Union College (Ky.), falling to the Bulldogs in four sets. With the defeat, the Cavaliers fell to 7-10 overall and 3-8 in Appalachian Athletic Conference (AAC) play.
 
Union (11-10, 8-4 AAC) hopped out to an early lead in the first set of play, winning six of the opening seven points. In a set in which they would never trail, the Bulldogs held off several Montreat rallies. The Cavaliers cut the deficit to 19-17 as the set neared its close, but Union fended off the Cavs' push and claimed the opening set, 25-21.
 
The Bulldogs put together their best set of the match in the second frame. Out-scoring the Cavs 25-12, Union had five separate instances of three-point runs. Union totaled 12 kills and hit .393 over the course of the frame.
 
Montreat bounced back with its best set of the match after falling behind 2-0. The Cavs started to take control midway through the frame on a run of four straight points, extending the set lead out to 15-10. On its home floor, Union made a run to tie the set at 19, but the Cavs responded by seizing six of the final seven points to win the third frame, 25-21.
 
Trailing two sets to one, the Cavs were unable to replicate their road comeback from the previous night at Johnson University (Tenn.). Union started the fourth set by winning eight of the opening nine points, setting the tone for what ultimately became a match-sealing 25-21 frame.
 
"We came to fight today, but the scores just didn't go our way," said head coach Haley Paonessa.
 
Haley Horton and Kamryn Wolf both tallied 11 kills on the afternoon to pace the Cavaliers. Reese Davis led Montreat with 23 assists, and Cambria Bowen did the same with 19 digs.
 
The Montreat volleyball team returns home for a full week of action starting on Tuesday night against Tennessee Wesleyan University. First serve is scheduled for 6:30 p.m. at McAlister Gym.