NEWBERG, Ore. -- The Bruins saw their two set comeback fall short against the Puget Sound Loggers, and were handed their first loss in conference play in a five set contest on Friday night.

How It Happened
The game opened up with the Bruins jumping out to a 7-3 lead in the first set, but from there the Loggers settled in and won a close first set 25-23. The Bruins edged out the Loggers with a .219 hitting percentage, but a combination of more Logger opportunities and service errors by the Bruins caused them to drop the set.

The second set was Loggers all the way, with Fox falling 25-18 as Puget Sound's momentum surged. Winners of eight straight sets in conference play, Puget Sound outhit the Bruins and looked much more collected as Fox fell into an early hole.

With everything going right for Puget Sound, the Bruins somehow managed to overcome a 24-18 deficit to win the third set 27-25. The run was by far the most efficient and poised the Bruins had looked all night, and they out hit the Loggers .214 to .123. With a roaring crowd behind them, the Bruins utilized the shifting momentum to roll through a back-and-forth fourth set and win 25-21. 

With the game on the line in the fifth, the Loggers settled into a rhythm, rounding up 7 kills and an incredible .600 hit percentage as they took out the Bruins. Despite a terrific comeback effort from the home Bruins, they dropped their first Northwest Conference game of the season.

Top Performances
Bailey LeBreton led the Bruins with 13 kills on a .258 hit percentage, while Kennedy Kibby had 28 assists. Taylor Deckoning had three service aces, and Piper Harrop had 22 digs.

Coach's Thoughts
"I am glad we were able to play tough against Puget Sound at moments tonight, but we definitely felt like 2 different teams throughout the match," Bruin head coach Emily Davis said after the game, "We are looking forward to our next match up with them."

What It Means
The Bruins have their three game win streak snapped, and fall to a 5-4 overall record, and 2-1 in NWC play. The Loggers improve to 3-0 in conference play and 6-5 on the year.

What Comes Next
The Bruins cap off their weekend home stand tomorrow, Sept. 24, against the Linfield Wildcats at 6 pm.