AVE MARIA, Fla. --- The Ave Maria volleyball team fell to visiting Southeastern on Wednesday night in straight sets. AMU's hitting improved as the night went on but couldn't break through for a set win.
 
The Gyrenes move to 9-11 on the season and to 4-7 in The Sun Conference play with the loss. Southeastern improves to 17-6 overall and to 9-3 against TSC opponents. SEU has won eight straight conference matches.
 
Ave Maria came out firing and built an early 4-0 lead in the opening set. The Gyrenes led 8-5 before three straight by the Fire tied the match at eight. A 5-1 run later in the set by the Fire gave SEU a 14-11 lead. The Gyrenes kept within striking distance before a 4-0 run by the Fire put Southeastern in front 23-17. SEU closed out the set 25-18. AMU hit -.025 with 12 kills and 13 attack errors.
 
It was a similar look in the second set. AMU got out to a 5-3 lead early before a 6-1 run by the Fire gave them a 9-6 advantage. After AMU tied the match at nine, a 9-3 run gave Southeastern a 18-12 lead. Ave Maria cut into the Fire lead on a couple occasions but wouldn't get any closer than three, eventually falling 25-21.
 
The Fire led early in the third set and led 9-4 before the Gyrenes won three straight to cut the deficit to two. A couple points later, AMU closed to within one, 10-9. Southeastern responded with an 8-3 spurt to take a 18-12 advantage. With Southeastern leading 24-16, the Gyrenes won dive straight on Katie Grose's serve to pull to within three, 24-21, before the Fire won the set 25-21.
 
Madelyn Haut and McKenna Tyson each had 13 kills for the Gyrenes. Katie Grose finished with 39 assists and Victoria Schein tallied 23 digs.
 
The Gyrenes return to action on Saturday when they host conference leading Coastal Georgia at 2 p.m.