BUFFALO, N.Y. – The Toledo women's volleyball team dropped a highly contested match to Mid-American Conference co-leader Buffalo on Friday night, 3-0 (23-25, 16-25, 18-25).

Toledo (13-8, 6-3 MAC) was led by Taylor Alt and Kayla Ozanich with eight kills each and now trails the Bulls (11-11, 7-2 MAC) by a game in the league standings. Ozanich posted a team-high .365 clip. Redshirt freshman Sierra Pertzborn added five kills, while freshman Olivia Heitkamp added four of her own.

Sophomore setter Macy Hatkevich tallied 25 assists and 13 digs, her second consecutive double-double and her seventh of the season. Freshman libero Grace Freiberger added 11 digs of her own for her 18th match with double figure digs this season.

"Tonight we fought ourselves and Buffalo," said head coach Jason Oliver. "When that happens, it is never good. The fight in our team was good tonight, but Buffalo was just better."

Buffalo was led by Katrin Trebichavska with 12 kills.

HOW IT HAPPENED
SET ONE (25-23 Buffalo)

• After trading points early in the set, Toledo used a 5-2 run to take a two-point lead, 7-5.
• A 6-0 surge by the Bulls put Buffalo in front, 13-9. The Rockets fired off four-straight points behind kills from Taylor Alt and Sierra Pertzborn to even the match, 17-17.
• A service ace from Brooke Naniseni put the Rockets in front, 20-19.
• The two sides traded blows and an Alt kill knotted the match, 23-23. Buffalo scored the final two points of the set to take the lead.

SET TWO (25-16 Buffalo)

• Buffalo jumped out to a 14-4 lead off a 9-1 run.
• The Bulls extended their advantage to 14 points, 23-9. Toledo rattled off a run, highlighted by two service aces from Brooke Naniseni, to cut into Buffalo's lead, 24-16.
• Buffalo put the second set away with a kill.

SET THREE (25-18 Buffalo)

• Both teams went back-and-forth, with Buffalo taking an 8-6 lead.
• Two blocks from Kayla Ozanich and Alt helped Toledo tie the match, 10-10, and Alt's seventh kill of the night put Toledo in front by one, 12-11.
• The Bulls fired off an 8-2 run to regain the lead, 21-15.
• A solo block from Ozanich helped Toledo get within five, 23-18, but Buffalo took the match win with a kill.

UP NEXT
Toledo returns to Savage Arena for a pair of matches next week. The Rockets will host Miami on Thursday, Oct. 24 and Friday, Oct. 25. Both matches are set to begin at 6:00 p.m. with coverage on ESPN+.

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