Lexington, KY - Manchester Volleyball traveled to Transylvania for a tri-match with the Pioneers and the Tigers of DePauw. 

Match One:
Manchester battled hard but came up short on the road Saturday, falling in straight sets to Transylvania University, 25–6, 25–23, 25–13, in HCAC action.

The Spartans found their footing after a rough opening set, responding with one of their most competitive stretches of the match in set two. Behind strong serving from Tiffany Watterson and improved offensive rhythm from Avery Ball and Adelyn Figley, Manchester kept pace throughout the frame and tied the score multiple times before narrowly falling 25–23. Despite the close second set, Transylvania regained control in the third to finish the sweep.

Ball paced Manchester with eight kills and five digs, while Figley added six kills, an ace, and solid back-row defense. Watterson sparked the Spartans with four service aces and ten digs, anchoring both the serve-receive and defensive efforts. Setting duties were split between Mariah Forbes and Morgan Howard, who combined for 17 assists, helping Manchester improve its hitting percentage in each set.
As a team, the Spartans posted 23 kills, eight aces, and 31 digs, showing resilience despite facing a hot-hitting Transylvania squad that finished with 46 kills and a .430 attack percentage. Manchester's second-set surge highlighted the group's balance and fight.
 
Match Two:
Manchester dropped a straight-sets match to DePauw University on Saturday afternoon at the Transylvania Invitational in Lexington, Kentucky. The Spartans were defeated 25-19, 25-15, and 25-22, moving to 10-10 overall and 1-2 in HCAC play.

Manchester competed closely throughout, especially in the third set, but couldn't sustain enough offensive momentum to overcome DePauw's efficient attack and strong blocking presence. The Tigers hit .252 as a team and tallied 14 total blocks, while the Spartans finished with 33 kills and 33 assists, hitting .067 overall.
Avery Ball paced the Manchester offense with 13 kills, five digs, and two service aces for a team-high 15 points. Morgan Howard added six kills, 16 assists, eight digs, and a service ace in a balanced performance. Adelyn Figley contributed seven kills and four digs, while Lily Lichtenbarger added five kills and two total blocks. Tiffany Watterson collected 10 digs and four assists, and Mariah Forbes chipped in 11 assists, seven digs, and a service ace.

Despite the final scoreline, Manchester showed resilience, pushing DePauw to the brink in the final frame before falling 25-22. The Spartans will look to regroup and build on their strong stretches as they continue their HCAC schedule next week.