NORTH MANCHESTER, IND. – Manchester University's fans at Stauffer-Wolfe Arena received a strong display of grit and determination from the Spartans Saturday, Sept. 27.

Despite dropping a four-set decision to Franklin College in its 2014 Heartland Collegiate Athletic Conference and taking Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association member Saint Mary's College to the wire in a five-set thriller, good numbers abounded for the Black and Gold (4-13). The Noblesville, Ind., duo of junior outside hitter Sarah Pruden and junior middle hitter Morgan Pavelka combined for 65 of the squad's 121 total kills during the day. Pruden turned in a .264 attack percentage to go with her 33 kills and 26 digs, while Pavelka, continuing her recent strong run of play, ended with 32 kills and a .333 attack percentage along with a team-best four blocks.

Looking further into the Spartans' statistics, sophomore outside hitter Courtney Chowning (Yorktown, Ind.) totaled 30 kills, 10 service aces, and 28 digs; junior setter Mikayla Munn (Elkhart, Ind.) put up 95 assists; and freshman defensive specialist Megan Robbins (Connersville, Ind.) compiled 45 digs. Franklin rebounded from a 25-18 MU win in the opening set to gain three successive set victories, while the home team and the Belles traded wins in the opening four sets before Saint Mary's held on for a 15-10 fifth set decision.

MU resumes HCAC action Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4 and 5. They travel to Hanover College Saturday and Transylvania University of Kentucky Sunday.

NOTES: Munn continued her march to become the third player in program history to reach 2,000 assists. Her 95 left her 34 short of the mark.