North Manchester, Ind. – Manchester volleyball came out swinging on Friday night at Stauffer-Wolfe Arena, taking the opening set in thrilling fashion before ultimately falling 3–1 to P.R.-Rio Piedras (29–31, 25–22, 25–17, 25–19).

The Spartans showed tremendous fight in the first frame, trading points deep into extra play and finally closing the set at 31–29. UPR-RP responded with three straight set wins, but Manchester continued to compete hard, keeping the crowd engaged throughout.

Avery Ball paced the Spartans with a strong offensive performance, finishing with 14 kills and adding three service aces. Adelyn Figley also reached double figures in kills with 10, while Morgan Howard dished out 20 assists and added five kills of her own. Mariah Forbes chipped in 14 assists, and Lily Lichtenbarger anchored the net with a pair of solo blocks. Tiffany Watterson provided energy from the service line with four aces and added eight digs in the back row.

As a team, Manchester totaled 42 kills, 16 blocks, and nine service aces, putting together several stretches of high-level play. The Spartans now sit at 6–7 on the season and will look to carry the intensity from Friday's opener into Saturday.

Before the match, Avery Ball and Tiffany Watterson were recognized for both surpassing 1,000 career digs - Ball against Trine and Watterson against Huntington. Also during the match, Avery Ball earned her 1,000th career kill, with recognition coming between sets.