PORTSMOUTH, Ohio -- The volleyball program at Shawnee State played championship-level volleyball during the back half of its match against No. 20 Indiana-Kokomo -- taking the third set against the Cougars and leading by a 19-16 count in the fourth set of action -- but the Bears' rally attempt fell just shy as SSU dropped a competitive 3-1 setback to IUK Friday evening in a River States Conference match that was held at Waller Gymnasium in Portsmouth.
Despite the loss, Shawnee State (16-7, 6-2 River States Conference) became just the second team in conference play to take a set from Indiana-Kokomo (18-5, 8-0 River States Conference) all season -- as the Bears rallied from setbacks in the opening two sets to post a 25-23 victory in the third set of action. Shawnee State then took the aforementioned 19-16 lead in the fourth set before Indiana-Kokomo ended the match with a 9-2 run to claim the win.

Recovering nicely with inspired play throughout the third and fourth sets of action, Shawnee State immediately started off the third frame with a 5-2 run as freshman talent Katelynn Boerger picked up a pair of kills over the opening seven volleys of the frame while Camille Hall added in a solo block to boot.

Indiana-Kokomo rallied to capture each of the next five set points, but Reagan Lewis posted two spikes and Boerger one as the Bears turned the 7-5 deficit into an 8-8 tie.

When the Cougars responded with a 3-0 run to capture an 11-8 advantage, a 7-3 spurt on the Shawnee State side allowed the Bears to take a 15-14 lead -- as two blocks and a kill from Camille McIntosh led the SSU brigade during that stretch.

Kokomo threatened -- and even took back -- a 16-15 lead, but Shawnee State got huge production from Boerger, Lewis and Whytney Faulkner late in the third set as the trio combined for seven kills with Lewis' three spikes and Boerger's and Faulkner's two allowing the Bears to go on a difference-making 7-3 run, giving SSU a 25-23 win in the third frame of action.

The fourth set started off with more strong play on the Shawnee State end -- particularly from McIntosh, who posted a kill and three total blocks (one solo, two assisted) over the opening 16 volleys of the third frame, giving SSU a 9-7 lead in the fourth set. Camille Hall and Reagan Lewis then dialed up the heat over the next 19 volleys of the set -- as Hall nabbed three kills and Lewis two to allow Shawnee State to break ties of 11-11, 14-14 and 15-15 en route to grabbing a 19-15 lead before Indiana-Kokomo made the aforementioned match-ending run.

The Bears were ultimately led by nine kills each from Reagan Lewis and Katelynn Boerger while Camille Hall and Bree Hicks each posted six spikes in the four-set match. Camille McIntosh finished with five total blocks (three solo) while Boerger and Hall finished with three total blocks each in another well-balanced showing from the Shawnee State frontline.

Makaela Lovely led Shawnee State with 12 assists while Megan Steele and Ava Jenkins posted 18 digs each and Brooke Bossert 14 for the Bears on the back row. Lovely also added in seven digs to conclude matters. Shawnee State will play another huge match Saturday afternoon as the Bears (16-7, 6-2 River States Conference) take on Saint Mary-of-the-Woods (23-2, 7-1 River States Conference) Saturday afternoon at Waller Gymnasium. The conference affair, which leads off Pink Out festivities that sees five different programs hosting home events to honor those affected by Breast Cancer, will take place at 12 p.m.