Azusa, Calif. --- The Biola volleyball team visited the Felix Event Center for the Cornerstone Cup on Friday night. The Eagles fought in four sets but fell to the Cougars, 3-1 (23-25, 24-26, 25-21, 23-25).

Biola put together four quality sets, but the balanced attack of Azusa Pacific outpaced the Eagles' offense. Kendall Vandertuig led the offense with 27 kills while adding 15 digs. Emma Fairbairn and Juliana Van Ommering each added nine kills. Lexi Lambert and Hannah Hanson combined for 58 of the 65 total BU assists. 

The match started with a thrilling first frame. Both teams traded points, with the biggest advantage being four in favor of Biola. Seven different Eagles logged kills in set one, but a few unforced errors allowed APU to swipe the set, 23-25.

Set two went to extra points after Biola controlled nearly the entire frame, building a 22-15 lead. However, a 10-2 Cougar surge flipped the momentum and handed BU a tough 26-24 loss. Vandertuig tallied six kills in the set, while Lambert and Ashlyn Beebe each added an ace.

A fast 5-0 start set the tone for Biola in set three. Vandertuig led the charge at the net, and the Eagles held a cushion most of the way. APU narrowed the gap late, but Biola stayed clean in the final points. The Eagles secured the frame, 25-21.

Set four was a tight wire-to-wire affair, with 13 ties keeping the frame up for grabs. Kills from Vandertuig and Savannah Simpson helped the Eagles battle back to even it at 23. The Cougars, however, closed it with back-to-back points, 25-23.

The Eagles fall to 15-9 overall and 5-4 in PacWest play.

Biola will return home to Chase Gymnasium tomorrow night to face the Vanguard Lions at 7 p.m. Alumni are invited back to honor the coaching career and impact of Aaron Seltzer.