SWARTHMORE, Pa.- For the first time in nearly four years, Eastern University Volleyball fell to a team outside the top 25. The trip to Swarthmore was the second journey down the Blue Route this fall for the this year's Eagles. After scrimmaging at Swarthmore in the preseason, the Eastern staff knew that the Garnet would present a challenge. The host Garnet slipped past the Eagles 29-27 in the first set and emerged with a 3-0 win after earning close decisions in the second and third sets.

After trailing late in the opening set, Eastern rode a run of Erin Hillman serves into the driver's seat.  The Eagles had a pair of set points in the critical first set, but the hosts were able to score the final three points of the set to go up in the match. 

The second set was back and forth the whole way before Swarthmore grabbed a 22-20 lead with three straight points on a service error and pair of hitting errors. The first of those hitting errors came on an Erin Hillman swing that was at most millimeters over the back line. The Garnet were able to side-out for the win.

The start of the third set could not have been worse for the No. 10 Eagles. With a string of hitting errors, and balls off the tape, Eastern started out down 9-0. Eastern still trailed by nine at 17-9. The Eagles, however, battled back to within a point at 21-20, but a hitting error following a free ball put the Garnet back in command of the set.

The Eagles (3-2) got a match-best 14 kills from Kearby Benak, and Katrina Pisch put away nine kills on only 15 swings. For the match, they hit just .128 as a team and committed 22 hitting errors against the big and athletic Swarthmore block. 

Eastern starts Freedom Conference action at Delaware Valley College on Wednesday.