YPSILANTI, Mich. — The University of Toledo volleyball team opened its weekend on the road at Eastern Michigan on Friday night, falling in four sets.

After dropping the first two sets, the Rockets extended the match with a 26-24 win in the third set. However, EMU handily won the fourth and final frame of the night to take the match.

Three Rockets tied for the team lead with 11 kills. Senior Zoe Birnbrich, junior Chloee Kleespies, and junior Emma Swope all tallied 11 terminations, and Kleespies added 12 digs as well. Junior Rhyen Neal contributed 15 digs.

Toledo visits Central Michigan on Saturday night at 8:00.

Set 1 (EMU, 25-23)
Toledo started the first set with an 11-9 lead over EMU. The Rockets were able to grow their lead to five, 21-16, and looked to be in a good position to claim the first set. The Eagles then scored six straight points to take a 22-21 lead over the Rockets. A big block from Birnbrich tied the score at 23-23, but EMU was able to close it out and win, 25-23, to take a 1-0 lead in the match.

Set 2 (EMU, 25-16)
The Eagles started the second set on a 6-1 run and didn't look back from there. The Rockets were able to pull within two, 12-10, but would not get any closer than that. Eastern Michigan ended the set with four straight points to win, 25-16. The Eagles hit .393, the highest hitting percentage in a set for either team, and led wire-to-wire in the second set.

Set 3 (Toledo, 26-24)
Eastern Michigan held a 10-7 lead to open play in the third set, but the Rockets fought back to take a 14-12 lead. A kill from sophomore Elise Wilcox capped a 7-2 run that put Toledo in front of EMU by two. Toledo extended its lead to 19-15, but the Eagles stayed competitive and eventually tied the score at 22-22. With the score at 24-23, and with their backs against the wall, the Rockets scored three straight to win, 26-24, and force a fourth set. Wilcox forced the 24-24 tie, then two errors from EMU helped Toledo win to extend the match. Kleespies had a team-best five kills in the third set.

Set 4 (EMU, 25-15)
The final set of the night was all Eastern Michigan. Toledo was within one point as late as 11-10, but EMU used a 9-1 run to build a commanding nine-point lead that proved insurmountable for the Rockets. The final score of the fourth set wound up at 25-15. Eastern Michigan's Raeven Chase tallied seven kills and two blocks in the final set of the night.