INDIANAPOLIS, Ind. -- The Covenant volleyball team opened the AVCA Division III Invitational with losses to No. 9-ranked Elmhurst and Augustana (Ill.) on Friday inside the Academy Volleyball Club in Indianapolis.

Covenant (9-6) will face Illinois Wesleyan in the bronze bracket on Saturday at 10 a.m. before squaring off with either Concordia (Wisc.) or Webster at 2 p.m. in the tournament's finale.

The Scots opened the day with a 3-0 loss to No. 9-ranked Elmurst, 25-20, 25-19, 25-18.

Rachel Bartlett and Emma Kalbfleisch had six kills apiece to lead Covenant, while Bartlett added 20 assists, six digs, and two blocks. Anna Baldwin added a team-high 12 digs as Covenant hung with the top-10 team in each set before falling.

Kyla Bailey and Riley Howe contributed four kills each as Covenant totaled 28 kills in the loss. Summer Johnson totaled three kills, 10 digs, and one block.

In the afternoon session, Covenant battled with Augustana before falling in four sets 25-16, 17-25, 25-20, 25-23.

Alexa Spurling had a team-best 10 kills on 19 attempts with two assisted blocks. Bartlett recorded 32 assists, five total blocks (two solo, three assisted) and Bailey had seven kills.

Johnson and Howe each had six kills, with Johnson added three total blocks. Grace Logterman tied Bartlett with five blocks in the defeat.

For the match, Covenant had 39 kills and 10 blocks as a team.

Complete box scores will be available at a later time.

UP NEXT

Covenant wraps up the AVCA Invitational on Saturday against Illinois Wesleyan at 10 a.m. followed by a match with either Concordia (Wisc.) or Webster at 2 p.m.

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