AVE MARIA, Fla.- The Ave Maria University volleyball team was eliminated from conference tournament contention on Wednesday night, dropping a 3-0 decision to the Royals of Warner University. Warner topped the Gyrenes 25-19, 25-21, 25-23 to sweep the season series between the teams.

The first set was as closely contested as possible for most of the action. Warner and Ave Maria traded points back and forth from an 8-8 score to an 18-18 one. However, it was Warner who took control in the closing moments of the first set, going on a 7-1 run to close out the set. Warner's last seven points were recorded on five AMU attack errors and two Royal aces.

In the second set, Ave Maria took an early advantage, using an 8-2 run to take a 12-6 lead. The Gyrenes held a lead until Warner went on a 5-0 run to turn Ave's 18-16 lead into a 21-18 edge for the Royals. Warner put the set away on a kill by Breeanna Navarro.

Ave Maria and Warner played another hotly contested set in the set, with the lead trading hands multiple times. The final set was in doubt until final point, as the Royals clinched the match with back-to-back points on a Keana Smalls kill and an Ave Maria attack error.

For Ave Maria, Bre Holder and Natalie Rosinski led the way on the attack, as the senior and the freshman each recorded seven kills. Cassie Davis led AMU in assists with 12, and Nina Parlapiano was the leader on defense with 13 digs.

Before the contest, the Gyrenes honored the two members of their season class. Bre Holder and Nina Parlapiano were honored before the contest for their contributions to the Ave Maria volleyball program. 

The final game of the season for the Gyrenes is scheduled for Friday night, when Ave Maria battles the Mariners of the College of Coastal Georgia. AMU knocked off the Mariners in the first meeting of the season between the two teams, which was played at Keiser University. Game time in Brunswick, Georgia is scheduled for 2:00 p.m.