Fort Myers, Fla.-- UMBC volleyball (0-3) won the first two sets, but could not hold off a rally from Rutgers (2-1) in a 3-2 loss in the finale of the FGCU Tournament on Saturday.

The Retrievers took the first two sets by scores of 28-26 and 25-21, but Rutgers rallied back to take sets three and four by scores of 25-17 and 25-21 to force a decisive fifth set. In that fifth set, the Scarlet Knights closed the set on an 11-0 run to take it 15-6.

Paige Krenik (Foothill Ranch, Calif.) led the Retrievers with 13 kills  and 11 digs for the double-double. Grace Rigsbee (Suwanee, Ga.) was the only other Retriever with double digit kills, finishing the match with 11. Aysia Miller (Mililani, Hawai) also recorded a double-double, dishing out 39 assists with 15 digs.

HOW IT HAPPENED:

• Set one was a back and forth affair that saw each team exchange turns with the lead. UMBC would eventually take the opening set, 28-26 with Beste Ayhan (Instabul, Turkey) recording the set-winning kill.

• UMBC came out swinging in the second stanza, taking a 6-0 lead that extended to 8-1 early. However the Scarlet Knights would respond with a 3-0 run to cut the deficit in half. Rutgers would get as close as three, but Rigsbee and Emily Ferketic (Pittsburgh, Pa.) each had kills to close out the set 25-21.

• Rutgers found their stride in the third getting out to an early lead. UMBC would fight back to within one thanks to a 4-0 run. However the Scarlet Knights took control late to win 25-17.

• The Retrievers jumped out to a 4-1 lead in the fourth. After Rutgers cut into the lead, Ayhan cut the deficit to one with a big kill and then followed with a service ace to tie it at 12-12. UMBC would take the lead late, but Rutgers ended the set on a 6-2 run to foce a fifth set.

• UMBC started the decisive set with an early lead, but Rutgers finished with a flurry. The Scarlet Knights ended the match on an 11-0 run to take the set 15-6 and match 3-2.

OTHER NOTES:

• UMBC had five players reach double digit digs. In addition to Krenik and Miller, Loren Teter (Redondo Beach, Calif.), Kayla Tomas (Silver Spring, Md.), and Weronika Wrzesinska (Frednowy, Poland) had 32, 12 and 17 respectively. 

• The Retrievers will conclude their Florida swing with a match at Miami (Fla.) on Sunday at 3 p.m. The match will be streamed on ACC Network Extra and Watch ESPN.