Jackets start road trip with loss at Franklin

CINCINNATI, Ohio - The Defiance Yellow Jackets started their three games in three days stretch with a 3-1 loss to the Franklin Grizzlies (18-25, 26-24, 28-30, 22-25) at the Spurlock Center on Thursday.

The Yellow Jackets (3-11, 2-7 WHAC) shook off a slow start in the first set with tight sets the rest of the night. The Grizzlies (5-14) ran out to a 21-10 lead in the first while DC was underwater in the attack game with 10 attack errors to 9 kills to start the match. DC rebounded in the second and outlasted Franklin beyond the 25-point threshold despite leading by as many as 7 points. Franklin closed the gap but committed a pair of attack errors for the Jackets to claim their only set of the night.

The Grizzlies took the third and fourth sets to clinch the match, which included a lengthy 30-28 third set victory for the longest set DC has played this season. The third set was tied 9 times through the 11-11 mark before the Jackets created some separation that led to a 23-19 advantage and two set point opportunities. The two sides traded blows after the Grizzlies worked back to the set's 10th tie and landed an ace to take a 2-1 lead in the match. That theme carried over into the fourth set with 6 straight ties to start the set before Franklin stepped in front and endured to clinch the match.

Defiance tied a season-high with 51 team kills and set a new high with 74 digs. Matthew Schulte posted a season-high 18 kills to lead all players in the match, setting the bar by a Defiance player in its inaugural season. Thaddeus Setla had a season-best 15 kills of his own alongside 11 kills by Philippe Meny. Adam Sutton assisted on 43 kills, marking a new season-high for the campaign. Oniel Alvarez led Defiance with 19 digs.

UP NEXT
The Yellow Jackets travel to Midway on Friday and will play the Eagles at 4 p.m.

-JACKETS-