GUELPH, Ont. — The Toronto Metropolitan University (TMU) Bold women's volleyball team fell 3-1 (22-25, 25-22, 25-10, 25-20) to the Guelph Gryphons on Saturday night. 

Darcie Buchanan led the Bold with 15 kills, while Hannah Bellai and Alya Cross added eight and six, respectively. Cross was a standout throughout the match, posting a .375 hitting percentage as Sadie Bird directed the offence, recording 23 assists throughout the game. Defensively, Livia Davenport recorded a team-high 12 digs, and Cross recorded three blocks.

The Bold battled with the Gryphons for much of the opening frame, generating plenty of back-and-forth rallies. After gaining a narrow 13-12 lead, the Bold began to pull away, recording four straight points to make it 18-12. However, the Gryphons were pesky, capitalizing on attack errors and defensive miscues to battle back into contention. TMU held Guelph to a .065 hitting percentage while posting a .116 mark themselves, and the opening set ultimately ended y with a 25-22 Bold victory.

Much like the first, the second set was a nail-biter, as both teams traded points. TMU had some good blocks, especially with the defensive duo of Bellai and Cross, but they just couldn't shake Guelph. After tying the game at 16 apiece, the Bold thought they had an edge on the Gryphons, but the back-and-forth affair continued right up until Guelph edged out a 25-22 victory.  

The penultimate set saw a strong performance from Guelph, as they took it 25-10. 

During the fourth set, TMU found their rhythm once more, and the alternating points between teams continued. Despite contributions from Rayanna Amos-Ross Fisher, who notched four of her six kills during the frame, and Addison Othmann, who recorded her first career point, the Bold were unable to catch Guelph. The Gryphons ultimately took the final set 25-20. 

TMU will be back on home court next Friday, Feb. 6, to face off against the Royal Military College. First serve flies at 6 p.m., and students can attend for free with their OneCard.