Kingsport, Tenn. (Nov. 7, 2012) --- The Milligan College volleyball team saw their season come to a close with a heartbreaking 3-2 loss to Columbia College in the Appalachian Athletic Conference tournament on Wednesday afternoon in Kingsport, Tenn.
 
   The first set saw Columbia jump out early to propel themselves to a 25-15 win in the first set. In the second set, the Buffaloes fell behind early, but battles back to take a 14-10 lead. Milligan pulled away from that point to take a 25-18 victory to tie the match.
 
   Milligan and Columbia traded points in the early going of the third set before the Buffaloes used a 5-1 run to take an early 10-6 lead. The Fighting Koalas closed the gap to one point, but Savannah Benton (Kingsport, Tenn.) started a 7-2 run with a kill that sent the Buffaloes to a 25-20 set victory.

   After Columbia ran out to a 16-10 lead in the fourth set, Milligan quickly closed the gap to tie the match at 18. Kylie Whaley (Kingsport, Tenn.) tied the match again at 20-20 with a kill, and the Buffaloes jumped out to a 23-21 advantage. However, the Fighting Koalas rallied to take the set 26-24 to force a fifth set.
 
   In the decisive fifth set, Columbia ran out to a 8-3 lead. Milligan closed the gap to 9-7, but they were unable to get any closer as the Fighting Koalas secured the match with a 15-7 victory.
 
   Chelsea Spivey (Gate City, Va.), who was named Co-Setter of the year for the AAC earlier in the day, recorded 40 assists and 13 digs. Katelin Henson (Kingsport, Tenn.) had 20 digs, while Holly English (Kingsport, Tenn.) tallied 14 digs and 11 kills. Kaitlyn Qualls (Colorado Springs, Colo.) and Whaley had 16 digs and 14 kills, respectively.
 
   With the loss, Milligan ends the season 19-14 overall and finished in a four-way tie for second with a 13-5 conference record. The Buffaloes will lose three seniors to graduation in English, Henson and Spivey.