The No. 11 ranked University of Wisconsin-Whitewater volleyball team competed in three closely contested sets Friday night but was outlasted 25-18, 25-21, 25-20 at seventh-ranked Trinity in a non-conference affair on the first day of the Trinity Fall Classic in San Antonio, Texas.
 
The Warhawks (6-2 overall) were held to a season-low .104 hitting percentage, their lowest since Sept. 28, 2016, and were unable to maintain early leads in the first and third sets.
 
Senior right side hitter Sydney Racky (Walworth, Wis./Big Foot), senior middle hitter Courtney Wagner (Dekalb, Ill./Dekalb), junior outside hitter Amanda Spera (Antioch, Ill./Antioch) and sophomore outside hitter Rachel Butterfield (Milton, Wis./Milton) tallied six kills apiece to lead the offense. Junior middle hitter Kelley Berk (Cedarburg, Wis./Divine Savior Holy Angels) added five kills, and Wagner collected a team-high four blocks.
 
Junior setter Elizabeth Niestrom (Darien, Ill./Hinsdale South) collected 24 assists and two blocks. Junior defensive specialist Brittany Robinson (Menomonee Falls, Wis./Menomonee Falls) posted a team-best 17 digs to lead the defense, and sophomore defensive specialist Elizabeth Tworek (Lake Zurich, Ill./Carmel Catholic) contributed six digs.
 
Sophomore defensive specialist Mackenzie Evers (St. John, Ind./Lake Central) registered three service aces.
 
UW-Whitewater jumped out to an 11-5 lead in the opening period, but the Tigers scored eight of the next 10 points to tie the set at 13-13. After a service error gave UW-Whitewater the lead back, Trinity ran off 11 of the next 12 points to take control of the set and emerge with a 1-0 lead.
 
The Tigers carried their momentum into the second set, grabbing an early 8-3 advantage. The Warhawks fought back with a block by Niestrom and Wagner, an ace by Evers and a kill by Spera to cut their deficit to two, but Trinity recorded six of the next eight points to take a 14-8 lead.
 
UW-Whitewater made a run later in the set behind Evers' serve and tied the frame at 20-20, but the Tigers scored five of the last six points in the set to take a 2-0 advantage.
 
The Warhawks jumped out to a 6-3 lead in the third set and went ahead 8-6 on a kill by Spera before Trinity rallied for 10 straight points for a 16-8 advantage.
 
UW-Whitewater dug deep for eight of the next 10 points to get within 18-16. It drew to within two again at 20-18, but the Tigers finished the match with by scoring five of the last seven points.
 
The Warhawks continue action in Texas Saturday against Pomona-Pitzer (Calif.) at 11 a.m. and against No. 2 Southwestern (Texas) at 3 p.m.