COLUMBUS, Ind. -- The volleyball program at Shawnee State had four players post at least six or more kills in a balanced offensive attack and got 33 digs combined from seniors Ava Jenkins and Megan Steele, but the Bears dropped a straight-set decision to Indiana-Columbus (24-26, 24-26, 20-25) Friday evening in a River States Conference match that was held at Cera Sports Park in Columbus, Ind. 

Shawnee State was competitive in all three sets as the Bears led all three sets -- with Cally Carpenter posting two service aces in the opening four volleys to give SSU a 3-1 advantage.

Indiana-Columbus ultimately took a 14-9 lead in the first frame, but Shawnee State rallied with a 7-1 run that gave the Bears a 16-15 advantage midway through the opening set as Natalie Reida's two kills, along with another ace from Carpenter, gave Shawnee State a 16-15 advantage.

The Bears then responded again with a 3-0 run that answered the Crimson Pride's 3-0 response -- as Reida and Boerger each added a kill to give SSU the lead back, 19-18, late in the frame. However, Indiana-Columbus rallied back, and despite Shawnee State rallying to tie the match three different times (22-22, 23-23 and 24-24) off of two kills from Whytney Faulkner as well as kills from Reida, Boerger and Bree Hicks, the Bears dropped the opening set by a 26-24 margin.

Down by a 5-3 margin to begin the second set, however, Shawnee State rallied again as the Bears went on a significant 12-6 run to take a 15-11 lead, getting two total blocks and a kill from Camille McIntosh during the stretch as well as a block and a kill each from Faulkner, Reida and Boerger, a service ace from Ava Jenkins and a kill from Hicks during the run.

The quintet of Reida, Boerger, McIntosh, Faulkner and Hicks combined for six additional kills over the remainder of the frame, but despite holding a 20-18 advantage and then rallying to tie the match twice at 23 and 24-all after an Indiana-Columbus rally, Shawnee State wasn't able to seize control as Indiana-Columbus claimed the second set as well.

Behind by a 13-10 margin in the third frame, Shawnee State rallied again to take a 17-15 advantage midway through the third set as Boerger and Faulkner posted a pair of kills while Reida added one in a 7-2 push by the Bears. Indiana-Columbus, however, followed by closing the match on a 10-3 run as the Bears dropped the third and final set of the match.

Shawnee State (16-9, 6-4 River States Conference) will look to bounce back Saturday in a road match against Indiana-Southeast (14-4, 7-3 River States Conference) that will be held at the IU-Southeast Activities Building in New Albany, Ind. Match time is set for 1 p.m.