BUFFALO, N.Y. - D'youville put together one of its most competitive efforts of the season Friday night, taking Slippery Rock to the limit before falling 22-25, 25-20, 25-19, 23-25, 16-14 in a five-set thriller at Saints Center Gym. 

The Saints (1-7) came out strong in front of their home crowd, showing resilience and energy from the opening serve. Maddie Boglev provided two early kills, and the Saints weathered a quick 5-1 run from Slippery Rock before rallying back. Giselle Ramirez and Anna Chechelnytska steadied the offense midway through the set, pulling the Saints even at 17-17. From there, Madeline O'Brien took command, tallying three kills in the final stretch including the set-clincher at 25-22 to give D'Youville the early edge.

Slippery Rock (5-5) regrouped quickly, capitalizing on attack errors in the second set to build momentum. Despite an ace from Alina Bertens Deckart and steady hitting from O'Brien, The Rock surged ahead late behind setter Jaeden Yost and closed the set 25-20. The third followed a similar pattern, with Victoria Nalbach and Lauren VonderHaar controlling the net. A brief Saints rally, highlighted by an O'Brien service ace, narrowed the gap, but Slippery Rock held on for a 25-19 win and a 2-1 lead in the match.

Down but not out, D'Youville responded with its most inspired play of the night in the fourth set. After falling behind 7-2, the Saints roared back on the strength of O'Brien's four straight kills to tie the score at 13-13. Shortly after, the Saints continued the run scoring 11 straight points. Ramirez added timely swings on the outside, and Chechelnytska contributed a pair of kills to keep the Saints in front. Slippery Rock pulled even at 23-23, but O'Brien once again delivered, hammering down the final point for a 25-23 win that forced a decisive fifth set.

The finale was as tense as the crowd could ask for. O'Brien and Chechelnytska struck early, and Boglev paired with O'Brien for a momentum-shifting block that gave D'Youville a 10-7 advantage. However, Slippery Rock mounted one final rally, fueled by a service ace from Arielle Walter and a 6-0 run that turned the tide. Despite the Saints fighting off match points, VonderHaar ended the contest with a kill to secure the 16-14 win for The Rock.

O'Brien stood out as the driving force for D'Youville, repeatedly delivering in high-pressure moments and sparking both of the Saints' set wins. Ramirez, Chechelnytska, and Boglev also made critical contributions at the net, showcasing the team's depth and potential despite the loss.

Though the Saints ultimately fell, the five-set battle marked one of their most competitive matches to date, highlighting growth and determination as they continue through nonconference play.