GAINESVILLE, Ga. (Oct. 9, 2014) â€" Fifty-five kills and 32 attack errors made for four close games but the Milligan College volleyball team fell Thursday evening to Brenau University, 3-1 (17-25, 25-22, 25-23, 25-19).
 
Milligan fell to 11-12 (5-3 AAC) on the season with the loss to Brenau.
 
The Buffs are 2-3 on their current seven-game road stretch which started on Sept. 30, in which Brenau is their only nonconference opponent. They will continue the weekend with matches against Appalachian Athletic Conference competitors Truett-McConnell College (Oct. 10) and Point University (Oct. 11) before returning home to play Montreat College on Oct. 14.
 
With a strong showing of force, the Buffaloes jumped out to an early lead against Brenau (5-1), but the Golden Tigers clawed their way back into the game, tying the score at 11-11. A five-point run by the Buffs boosted them ahead, giving them the lead once again as they took the game 25-17.
 
The Buffs started game two with the lead once again (3-1). Cornered, the Golden Tigers fought to tie the game at 6-6 and a few rallies later, they held a comfortable lead (17-11). Milligan brought the game to within two points (22-20), but it would be too late as Brenau captured game two 25-22.
 
It was anyone's game in the third set as Milligan and Brenau traded the lead, neither team falling behind by more than three points. In the end, Brenau would take the final three points of the game on a kill from Cayla Graham and two attack errors from the Buffs, winning the game 25-23.
 
Brenau took the first lead in game four (3-0), and after the Buffs tied the game at 9-9, the Golden Tigers would regain control and keep the lead to seize the win, 25-19.
 
The Buffs put up strong offensive numbers, totaling 55 kills with six players earning five kills or more in the match. Marissa Langford led this assault, recording 16 kills, and Jessica Davenport provided constant support for the Buffs, receiving 47 assists against the Golden Tigers.
 
Defensively, Milligan also showed solid stats. Samantha Bruinius, Kaitlyn Round and Heather Harvey all put up double-digit amounts of digs, with 20, 19, and 15 respectively, and Emilee Linkous and Savannah Benton both earned three block assists on the seven total of the team.
 
It would be errors that would serve as the Buffs undoing. Attack errors (32) and service errors (6) undercut the momentum of the team, despite their resilient efforts to battle back.
 
Milligan will finish its seven-match road swing with Truett-McConnell College on Friday, Oct. 10 and Point University on Saturday, Oct. 11 before returning home for Montreat on Tuesday, Oct. 14.