RIO GRANDE, Ohio -- Point Park University volleyball started the season Friday for Day 1 of the Rio Grande (Ohio) Emileigh Cooper Classic. The Pioneers took a couple of losses falling 3-2 to Bluefield (Va.) and 3-1 to Shawnee State (Ohio).

BLUEFIELD 3, POINT PARK 2

The first match versus Bluefield (Va.) had the Pioneers drop a very tough five-setter. Three of the five sets went into extra points, and a close fifth set went to Bluefield, 15-11.

Despite scoring 27 points in the first set and 25 in the second, the Pioneers were down in the match, 2-0. Bluefield built that lead with wins of 29-27 and 27-25. 

Undeterred, Point Park won the next two sets, 25-19, 26-24 to force a fifth. The Pioneers faced an early deficit of 5-2, but they battled back to tie things at 6-6, 7-7, 9-9 and 10-10. The Rams then got the key points to win.

Point Park had double-digit kills in each of the first four sets but was held to three in the deciding fifth.

The Pioneers put three players in double digits with Marcella Erichsen hitting .344 with 13 kills. Eden McElhaney added 12 kills and 11 digs. Amanda Contois finished with 10 kills with middle hitters Haley Stormer and Mariah Perez pitching in eight kills apiece. 

Elise Wallace totaled 33 assists and 12 digs as one of the two setters. Ashlynn Gulakowski put up 12 assists. Kenzie Zauner led the team with 15 digs while Lily Marchand got 12. 

SHAWNEE STATE 3, POINT PARK 1

Point Park met new River States Conference opponent Shawnee State (Ohio) in the second match of the night in a non-conference matchup on a neutral court. The Pioneers came out firing to win the first set, 26-24, but the Bears took the next three, 25-17, 25-17, 25-18.

Point Park had 16 kills in the first set, by far its best attacking set of the match. Shawnee State kept a consistent attack throughout and also put up many blocks to get the win.

The Bears had 16 total blocks to turn several of the Pioneers' attacks into errors. Point Park had 31 hitting errors compared to 21 for Shawnee State. 

Amanda Contois put up another nine kills to give her 19 combined on the night. Eden McElhaney and Haley Stormer tallied eight each with Brooke Wilson getting seven and Mariah Perez six. 

Elise Wallace and Ashlynn Gulakowski collected 19 assists each. Kenzie Zauner's team-high 16 digs were joined in double figures by Lily Marchand with 10. 

NEXT UP

Point Park has two more matches on Day 2 of the Rio Grande Emileigh Cooper Classic. Point Park faces Union (Ky.) at 12:00 p.m. and Milligan (Tenn.) at 2:00 p.m. Live video will be provided along with live stats as the Pioneers move to the main gym at Rio Grande.