The Culver-Stockton College women's volleyball team lost a pair of five-set nail-biters to begin the William Penn University Tournament Friday afternoon at the Penn Activity Center in Oskaloosa, Iowa.

The Wildcats began the day with a loss to Waldorf (Iowa) for the second time this season. After narrowly falling in the first set 26-24, the Wildcats rebounded to win the next two sets by identical 25-21 scores to take the lead. The Warriors forced a fifth set with a 25-21 victory in the fourth set before holding off C-SC 15-10 in the deciding set.

In the second match, the Wildcats faced the University of Saint Francis (Ill.) and promptly lost the opening set 25-19. The Saints and Wildcats then alternated winning sets 2-4 by scores of 25-23 before the Saints captured the fifth set 15-12.

Against Waldorf, C-SC placed three players in double figures in kills for the second consecutive match. Ashleigh Brawley and Victoria Pollard led the way with 11 terminations each, while Zoe Irvin chipped in with 10 kills. Addie Force contributed seven kills. 

Laura Bloom and Lael Temple combined for 39 set assists with Bloom registering 22 in the match. Pollard, Temple and Kyla Ellis totaled two service aces apiece.

Defensively, Kyla Ellis recorded 14 digs in the back row while Brawley and Faith Hopgood garnered three blocks each up front.

In the match with St. Francis, Force was the only player to garner double-digit kills with 10. Brawley totaled eight terminations while Pollard and Irvin recorded seven kills each. Bloom and Temple each registered 18 set assists.

In the back row, Ellis led fall players with 28 digs. Three other Wildcats also recorded double figures in digs. Pollard had 12 digs while Bloom and Irvin garnered 10 digs each.

The Wildcats are scheduled to conclude the tournament Saturday with two more matches. C-SC is scheduled to face Tabor (Kan.) at 1 p.m. and then follow that up with a match against Mount Marty (S.D.) at 3 p.m.