SAN ANGELO, Texas – St. Edward's volleyball struggled to find its rhythm outside of one dominant defensive set against No. 20-ranked Angelo State, falling in four sets (14-25, 25-14, 15-25, 18-25) to open conference play 0-2. 
 
KELLI FORDING led St. Edward's with 13 kills and three of the Hilltoppers' seven service aces. However, St. Edward's struggled to puncture the Angelo State defense, hitting into 16 Angelo State team blocks for a .048 hitting percentage. 
 
St. Edward's posted more attack errors (11) than kills (six) in the first set, led by six Angelo State blocks, falling 25-14. The Hilltoppers flipped the score in the second by playing cleaner, if not more efficient, volleyball. The Hilltoppers dropped the attack errors down to four, strung out long rallies until the Angelo State attack buried itself with seven attack errors for a 25-14 win. 
 
Angelo State bounced back with two decisive victories, claiming 25-15 and 25-18 wins to clinch the match. 
 
DELANEY GREGORY added eight kills, ALTHEA MORRIS posted 29 assists and two aces, and GISELLE OJEDA recorded 25 digs and two aces in the loss. Madi Parrish (14 kills, .286 hitting) and Raelee Allen (12 kills, .250 hitting) led Angelo State with double-digit kills. 
 
St. Edward's (3-4, 0-2) will return home to host UT Tyler on Tuesday at 6:00 p.m., followed by home matches on Friday and Saturday against Midwestern State and Lubbock Christian.