ALFRED, NY – Despite holding advantages in several key statistical categories and another triple-double from Ally Bittinger, the Houghton Highlanders could not overcome several critical errors as they fell to the Alfred Saxons on Wednesday night.
 
The Highlanders came out hot in the first set, opening up a 7-1 lead, but the Saxons stormed back, eventually taking a 14-11 lead of their own.
 
The two teams battled to the end of the set, but a pair of late kills by the Saxons pulled out the crucial first set victory.
 
Trailing, 2-0, Houghton rallied to win the third set, thanks in part to some strong hitting by Amber Edwards, who finished off a pair of her 16 kills late in the set to pull the Highlanders within a game.
 
In the final set, Houghton rallied to pull within two points, 13-15, before Alfred reeled off four points of their own to create a six point lead; a deficit the Highlanders could not overcome.
 
GAME VITALS
Score: Houghton – 1 | Alfred – 3
Records: Houghton: 3-11 (2-2 Empire 8) | Alfred: 1-14 (1-2 Empire 8)
Scores: 23-25, 19-25, 25-21, 16-25
Venue: Terry S. Galanis Family Arena, Alfred University | Attendance: 176

NOTABLE STATS
>> Bittinger picked up her second triple-double of the season, collecting 12 kills, 18 assists and 17 digs.
 
>> Edwards led the Highlanders attack for her second highest kill total of the season (16) and added 13 digs for her sixth double-double of the year.  She has now tallied at least 15 kills in five of the last six matches.
 
>> Haley Unverdorben dished out a career-high 24 assists and picked up 10 digs, good for her third double-double of the season.
 
>> Morgan Potempa led the team with 21 digs.
 
>> Houghton held statistical advantages in kills (56-61), digs (80-72), assists (53-50) and points (63-60), but also committed more attack errors (21-7) and ball handling errors (6-0) than the Saxons.
 
COACH'S CORNER
"It was a mental game for us.  We should not have lost the first set.  It changed our mental game a lot. 
 
"Alfred was the better team tonight.  They were scrappy.  At times I couldn't believe the things they were getting up." – Head Coach Nancy Cole
 
UP NEXT
Houghton returns to the Nielsen Center on Friday night for a matchup with visiting LaRoche College at 7:00 p.m.  The Highlanders will also play a doubleheader on Saturday, starting with a 1:00 p.m. match against Misericordia University and concluding with a second match against Alfred State College at 3:00 p.m.