BOSTON, Mass. -- The Wheaton College (Mass.) women's volleyball team won the first set, but eventually fell to host Emerson College, 3-1 (24-26, 25-22, 25-17, 25-14), this evening in New England Women's & Men's Athletic Conference play at Brown and Plofker Gym in Boston, Mass.

The Lyons fall to 11-13 and 2-6 in league play, while the Lions improve to 16-4 and 6-3.

Junior outside hitter Annah Shaheen (Portsmouth, N.H.) led Wheaton with 10 kills and added six digs and a service ace, while first year middle hitter Hollis Hanson (Parker, Colo.) spiked for eight kills to go with an ace, six total blocks and two digs. First year middle hitter Julia Wingler (Fuquay Varina, N.C.) contributed with six kills, three block assists and a pair of digs. Senior setter Hannah George (Duxbury, Mass.) fell a dig short of a double-double with nine digs and 18 assists, while senior libero Sophie Wilhelm (Saunderstown, R.I.) picked up 22 digs and fired four aces.

Sophomore outside hitter Amelia Combs (Eugene, Ore.) led all players with 15 kills added 13 digs and two aces for Emerson. Senior middle hitter Logan Steenbergen (Glenview, Ill.) committed just one attack error and put down 10 kills for a .474 hitting percentage in addition to a dig and a block assist. Senior setter Caroline Bond (Macungie, Pa.) set for 36 assists and added seven digs, while junior libero Caroline Davis (Orlando, Fla.) got down for 24 digs and served up three aces.

The Lyons erased an early 9-3 deficit and a late 20-12 margin to come all the way back to win the opening set, 26-24. Combs fueled the Lions hot start with three kills, before Wheaton closed to within 14-12. Emerson scored the next six points to take a 20-12 advantage, but the Lyons put together a 10-2 stretch, including three kills from Shaheen, to pull even at 22-22. Emerson held set point at 24-23, but three straight points, including the final two aces from Wilhelm, gave Wheaton the frame.

The Lyons held a 10-8 lead in the second set, but the Lions went on an 8-2 run, led by a pair of kills each from Steenbergen and first year outside hitter Taylor Esmie (Alpharetta, Ga.), to take a 16-12 lead. Wheaton answered with an 8-3 stretch, including a pair of kills from Hanson, to cut the deficit to 20-19. It was as close as the Lyons would get before a 6-2 burst gave the home team a 25-22 set two win.

Wheaton was within 14-10 in the third frame, but five unanswered points, including two kills from Esmie, gave Emerson a 19-10 cushion that was too much for the Lyons to overcome. The Lions led by as many as 23-12, before a last Wheaton push pulled them to within 24-17 following a 5-1 run. The Lions took the final point and a 2-1 match lead.

Emerson scored nine of the first 10 points of the final set to take a comfortable 9-1 lead. The Lions led by seven or more points the rest of the set and took a 16-5 lead en-route to an 11-point set win.

The Lyons return to the court on Saturday, October 29 when they host Clark University in NEWMAC play at Emerson Gymnasium for a 1:00 p.m. start, while Emerson hosts NEWMAC rival Mount Holyoke College at 12:00 p.m. on the same day.