WILLIAMSBURG, Ky. (Nov. 1, 2014) â€" The Milligan College volleyball team played to the wire in their first match Saturday afternoon, but the Buffaloes would be unable to overcome their two opponents as Midway College and the University of the Cumberlands won 3-2 and 3-0 respectively.
 
The Buffaloes fell to 15-15 overall with the losses, but they retain their 9-3 record in the Appalachian Athletic Conference where they currently sit in fourth place, half a game behind third-place Reinhardt University.
 
Milligan's first match proved to be a heartbreaker, as two late points from Midway in the fifth game stopped the Buffalo rally in its tracks and gave the Eagles the win 3-2 (25-20, 15-25, 26-24, 21-25, 16-14).
 
With their gas tank running low from the first match, Milligan was unable to muster the same offense that characterized the back-and-forth battle of the first match, and in three quick games, the Buffs fell to the Patriots 3-0 (25-14, 25-18, 25-16).
 
Marissa Langford and Samantha Bruinius both recorded a double-double in the match against Midway, as Langford put up 17 kills and 11 digs, and Bruinius added 13 kills to 18 digs.
 
Jessica Davenport put up 66 assists on the day, 41 of which came in the match against Midway. She averaged 8.25 assists per game while also adding nine kills and one of Milligan's seven service aces of the day.
 
On defense, the Buffs made 17 total blocks and 113 digs. Emilee Linkous made two of those blocks on her own, and Savannah Benton helped to challenge Midway's offense by assisting in seven of the 11 blocks Milligan made in the match.
 
Milligan has only two games left in the regular season, but both outcomes hold strong sway on the postseason. It is then St. Andrews University and Columbia College who stand in the way of a higher seed for the Buffs going into the AAC tournament which takes place Nov. 13-14 at the MeadowView Marriott in Kingsport, Tennessee.