MILWAUKEE -- Back in NCAA DIII action for the second time this week, the Sabercats went 1-1 to start their campaign at the 2017 MSOE Invitational. After a slow start against Alverno College, MBU responded with a hard-fought 3-1 win over the Beloit College Buccaneers. With tonight's results, the Sabercats are now 4-4 for the season.

Maranatha vs Alverno

Result: MBU 0-3 AC (10-25, 23-25, 23-25)

MBU continued their offensive woes in the first match of the evening, as 10 hitting errors plagued them en route to a lopsided 10-25 loss in the opening set. After that was over, the Sabercats regained some of their form, but could not generate any decisive momentum. In total, MBU registered 21 hitting errors and 37 total errors in the match, leaving much to be desired in terms of precision. 

Full credit was due to Alverno, though, as the Inferno registered 34 kills - almost double that of the Sabercats' tally - to earn the win in the match and remain undefeated on the season.

Maranatha vs Beloit

Result: MBU 3-1 BC (25-21, 20-25, 25-19, 25-22)

The second match of the day was a thriller from start to finish, as the Sabercats tangled with the Beloit College Buccaneers in a back-and-forth clash.

Neither team scored less than 19 points in the 4-set thriller, and MBU grabbed the first set win of the night in a tight opening set. After mid-set kills from 4 different Sabercats put Maranatha ahead 21-15, Alexis Bueltel and Madeline Suderman closed things out to give the Sabercats the 25-21 win.

The Bucs fought back, however, as they capitalized on an early lead in the second set and won 25-20. To the Sabercats' chagrin, their 8 mid-set errors vaulted the Buccaneers in front, 12-7, and things were clearly going Beloit's way. Late kills from Bueltel and Suderman brought the Sabercats back to an 18-18 tie, but the Bucs closed the set out with late putaways from Aryssa Harris and Molly Mueller.

MBU was not deterred, and they came back to take the final two sets to win the match. Suderman (10 kills) and Bueltel (9 kills) were the primary offensive contributors for MBU, and Katie Bender led a hard-working defense with 39 digs in the match.

The Sabercats will have a night to sleep on today's results before going right back at it tomorrow morning. MBU will face the hosts, MSOE, at 10 a.m. before finishing their tournament with the Central College Dutch at 12 p.m.

Find details of the second day of the Invitational at mbusabercats.com/composite.