GRAND RAPIDS, Mich. — Parkside Volleyball went the distance on the road Friday night but came up short in a five-set battle, falling to Davenport 3–2 (25-13, 25-22, 23-25, 27-29, 15-17) inside the DU Student Center. With the loss, the Rangers move to 18-7 overall and 9-6 in GLIAC play.

Parkside opened the match with complete control, taking the first set 25–13 over Davenport. The Rangers' offense was locked in, posting a .314 hitting percentage and led by Sam Fisch, who delivered 6 kills while hitting .667. At the service line, Parkside applied constant pressure as four different Rangers tallied an ace, combining for four in the set. Defensively, Natalie Harris anchored the back row with 8 digs, a milestone performance as she officially surpassed 1,500 career digs. At the net, Mariena Coon added 2 blocks, helping shut down the Panthers' attack and seal a strong start for the Rangers.

The Rangers continued their momentum into the second, taking the frame 25-22 to remain perfect through the first two sets. They hit .275 as a team in the set and were powered by Ava Irvin, who delivered seven kills on .417 hitting. Parkside also controlled the net with three blocks in the frame, extending their early lead in the match.

In the third set, both offenses slowed as Parkside hit .091 compared to Davenport's .120, allowing the Panthers to edge ahead and take the frame 25-23. The fourth set turned into a hard-fought battle, with long rallies and momentum swings on both sides. Despite the Rangers out-hitting Davenport .169 to .131 and pushing the set to extra points, the Panthers capitalized late and pulled out a 29-27 win to force a decisive fifth set.

The final frame featured nine ties and several lead changes, but Davenport closed out the match with a 17-15 finish. Parkside hit .259 in the set, but it wasn't enough to outlast a Davenport offense that swung .357 to take the match.

Sam Fisch led Parkside with a career-high 27 kills while hitting .451 and adding three blocks for 28.5 points. Ava Irvin recorded a double-double with 20 kills and 17 digs, along with three blocks. Setter Lily Ray also posted a double-double, finishing with 57 assists, two aces, and 25 digs. Natalie Harris led the team defensively with 32 digs and recorded her 1,500th career dig during the match. Marisa Lootens added 14 digs and contributed an ace. As a team, Parkside hit .209 and totaled 11 blocks on the night.

The Rangers are back in action tomorrow, when they take on Ferris State at 2:00 p.m. 

For all things Parkside Volleyball and links to live coverage, please visit parksiderangers.com/coverage.