The Eagles took the Panthers to four sets before losing 15-25, 26-24, 13-25 and 21-25. AU lost to the Chanticleers, 17-25, 23-25, 23-25 to fall to 6-5 overall this season.

 

Kazala had 16 kills against Coastal, while Kennedy Etheridge finished with 32 assists. Kristen Largay led the Eagles with 11 digs.

 

The last of four ties in the first set came at 12-12 before CCU used a 5-1 run to gain the edge. AU pulled within three points down the stretch, but the Chanticleers were hot down the stretch.

 

The teams played back and forth through three lead changes and seven ties until CCU went ahead 23-21. AU twice pulled within one point late in the set, but a kill by Leah Hardeman (15 kills in the match) finished set point.

 

There were 11 ties in a taut final set, and AU held a late 23-21 lead. Coastal scored the final four points of the set to earn the sweep – only the second three-set sweep suffered by the Eagles so far this season.

 

"We're certainly disappointed in the results for this weekend," said AU head coach Barry Goldberg. "We knew the Michigan match was going to be the most competitive, and the difficulties we had in that match influenced our confidence going into the two matches today.

 

"We started the Pittsburgh match emotionally shaken. We finally rebounded in set two against Pitt, however it became difficult to sustain, as the home team was able to pull ahead in the fourth set to win the match.

 

"Finally in the last match against coastal Carolina, we again started slow, but were able rebound by playing two close losses. This week we'll have some time to regroup to play our final out-of-conference weekend before we head into conference."

 

In Saturday's opening match, Kazala had 13 kills, while Jasmine Ellison and Loren McKenzie had nine each for the Eagles. Etheridge had 35 assists, with Largay earning 14 assists. McKenzie led AU with five blocks.

Stephanie Williams had 25 kills and Mariah Bell added 17 for the Panthers, who had a 68-47 edge in kills in the match. Angela Seman had 28 digs for Pitt.

 

Pitt opened the match by earning leads of 5-0, 9-2 and 17-5 in the first set, as Williams had seven of the Panthers' 16 kills in the set.

 

There were 12 ties in the second set, as neither team held more than a three-point edge. Pitt held a 24-21 lead before Ellison picked up a kill, a block with McKenzie and another kill to erase three straight set points.

 

A kill by Shannon Webb set up set point, which occurred on a ball-handling error by the Panthers.

 

Pitt again earned early leads in the third set, going up 7-0 and 16-2 before the Eagle offense got going.

 

AU started well in the fourth set, going out to a 10-5 lead. The Panthers battled back to tie the set at 11-11 and later used a seven-point run to take a 20-15 advantage. AU came back within 21-20, but eventually lost the set 25-21.

 

American travels to Baltimore on Wednesday to play at Morgan State at 7 p.m.

 

The Eagles' next home matches are Sept. 23 at 7 p.m. against Bucknell and Sept. 24 at 2 p.m. with Lafayette, as AU opens defense of its Patriot League title. Tickets for all AU volleyball matches are available at www.aueagles.com/tickets.