TOPEKA -- Saturday's (September 3) games in the Washburn Invitational resulted in two more losses for the Gorillas, but the team continued to see improvement on the court. Pitt State lost 3-0 (25-23, 25-16, 25-22) to Drury and 3-1 (25-16, 25-23, 21-25, 25-22) to Mary. Senior libero Ashlen Schwartz was named to the all-tournament team. She averaged 4.2 digs per set over the four matches on the weekend. 

Pitt State worked hard to cut down on its errors in the match against Drury. They were successful in that regard, cutting their errors from over 25 in the two Friday matches to only 15, and one less than Drury, in the match. The Gorillas also outblocked the Panthers, 5.0 to 3.0, with a season high in blocks.

No individuals had double digit kills in the match, but four had five or more. Lauren Regier led the Gorillas with eight. Maggie Highberger and Peyton Walker each added seven kills, and Noelle Dooley, six. Cal VanBuskirk anchored the offense with 31 assists. Ashlen Schwartz led the team with 13 digs, while Highberger added eight. Dooley was the team's top blocker with four block assists. Taylor Unke added one solo block and two block assists.

The first set was close at 25-23, but the Gorillas never held the lead, though they did tie the set four times. They got as close as one-point, 24-23, as they held off four straight match points on Schwartz's serve before finally losing 25-23.

Set two was not as close, as the Gorillas lost 25-16, but there were seven ties and four lead changes early.

The third set was a nail biter with 12 ties and five lead changes. The Gorillas biggest lead was three, 10-7, on a block by Unke and Dooley. PSU led as late as 21-20, with a Highberger kill giving Pitt State its last lead. The set was tied at 21- and 22- before the Panthers scored the last three points to win 25-22 and take the match 3-0.

The Gorilla bested the Marauders in most statistical categories in the second match of the day. Pitt State hit .200 to Mary's .185, outblocked them 6.0 to 4.0, and recorded more digs, 87-68, and had fewer attack errors, 19-23. Mary recorded six more kills and six more service aces to help them in the win.

Pitt State's back row was especially efficient. Schwartz led the defense with 23 digs, while Taylor Wright added 17 and Lauren Maisberger, 16. Lauren Dunn also had eight digs and four kills. Wright also helped on offense with five kills and a service ace. Dooley led the Gorilla blockers with four block assists. Regier added three block assists. Unke added a solo block and two block assists.

Offensively, Highberger led the team with nine kills. Walker and Regier each added eight. VanBuskirk started the match at setter, but Kylie Farris came in in the second set and had 26 assists along with four kills of her own.

Mary used 17 kills to just 10 from Pitt State to win set one 25-16.

Throughout the next three sets, both teams were able to rattle off streaks of unanswered points to force many ties and lead changes. The Gorillas really stepped up in set two, forcing 10 ties and five lead changes, the last tie being at 21-21. A 4-0 Pitt State run gave them a 14-11 lead before Mary fought back to go up 17-15. Pitt State battled back again to tie the set at every point from 18 to 21. A Walker kill put the Gorillas within one at 24-23 before Mary finished the win.

In set three, Pitt State trailed by four early, 9-5, but went on a 6-0 run to take a 11-9 lead, capped by a back row kill from Maisberger. From that point on the Gorillas never lost the lead and only allowed one tie at 12-12. A Kylie Farris kill gave Pitt State the lead for good at 13-12. Pitt State continued to push through from the 25-21 win.

It looked like the match might go five sets with 11 ties and six lead changes in set four. Pitt State led 17-15 midway through the set, but a 5-0 Marauder run gave them a 20-17 lead. The Gorillas were able to tie the set at 21-21 with an Unke kill, but Mary finished out the match to win 25-22.

Pitt State will travel to Arkadelphia, Ark. next weekend for the Bettye Wallace Invitational on September 9 and 10. The team will take on West Alabama and Ouachita Baptist on Friday and Arkansas Tech and Henderson State on Saturday.