OMAHA, NEB. – The Butler volleyball team competed with and took a set at No. 24 Creighton, but fell to the Bluejays in four (25-22, 25-12, 22-25, 25-17). The Bulldogs (14-13, 8-6 BIG EAST) are now tied for fourth in the conference standings, while the Bluejays (24-3, 12-2) are tied with Marquette at the top of the BIG EAST.

Set 1: Creighton 25-22
After trailing 4-0 early, the Bulldogs went on a 3-0 run including a Mariah Grunze kill and an ace from Marissa McKelvey. Butler would later use a 4-0 run thanks to a kill from Melody Davidson and block from her and Amina Shackelford for a 10-8 lead. The Bulldogs would grow that lead to as much as three following a McKelvey kill, but the Bluejays rallied back to take the lead at 14-13. Butler would tie the score at 14, 16 and 17 and get within two at 23-21 and 24-22, but Creighton would clinch the set on a kill by Norah Sis. Grunze, Brittany Robinson and Megan Sheridan led the Bulldogs offense in the opening frame with three kills each.

Set 2: Creighton 25-12
The Bluejays used early 4-0 and 5-0 runs to take a 13-6 lead. A later 9-1 run extended their advantage to 22-8, and they would cruise from there to take the set. Grunze led Butler with three kills in the second frame.

Set 3: Butler 25-22
Three consecutive points on McKelvey's serve including an ace from her put Butler up 3-0 to begin the set. Creighton rallied back to eventually tie it at 11-11, and the two sides would stay within two points of each other until the last point of the set. The Bulldogs responded to a 4-0 Creighton streak with one of their own consisting of Shackelford, Robinson and Grunze kills to regain the lead at 22-20. Davidson and Grunze would put down back-to-back kills to clinch the set for Butler. Grunze, Robinson, Shackelford and Sheridan all contributed three kills for the Bulldogs in the third frame.

Set 4: Creighton 25-17
Butler rallied back from an early 5-1 Creighton lead with a 6-1 run including two Sheridan kills to take a 7-6 advantage. The Bluejays would later use an 8-1 run to regain the lead and create separation at 15-9, but the Bulldogs quickly responded with a 5-1 stretch (two Shackelford kills) to get within two at 16-14. Creighton subsequently responded with a 4-0 run to go up 20-14 and cruised from there to clinch the set and match. Destiny Cherry, Grunze, Shackelford and Sheridan all contributed two kills each for Butler in the final frame.

Stat of the Match
Creighton outhit Butler .183 to .085.

Inside the Box Score
- Grunze posted a double-double with 12 kills and 12 digs.
- Jaymeson Kinley contributed 30 digs and four assists.
- McKelvey stuffed the stat sheet with 20 assists, eight digs, two aces and a kill.
- Robinson had 11 points on nine kills, one block solo and two block assists while adding four digs and an assist.

Up Next
The Bulldogs return home for matches at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Friday morning against DePaul and Sunday afternoon vs. Marquette.