PHILADELPHIA, Pa. – Junior Nekane Mendizabal (Stratford, Conn.) recorded 15 kills and 11 digs to post her second double-double of the season, but the Southern Connecticut State University volleyball team lost a five-game match, 3-2, to American International on Friday night in tournament action at the University of the Sciences in Philadelphia.

The Owls won the initial game of the match, 30-24, but dropped games two and three by scores of 30-24 and 33-31, respectively. SCSU took game four 30-25, but then fell in the decisive fifth game 15-12. The loss is the fourth consecutive for SCSU, which drops their record to 4-4 (1-0 NE-10). For American International, the match was their first win of the season to even their record at 1-1 (0-1, NE-10).

For SCSU, Mendizabal's double-double led the way, in addition to a match-high 15 digs posted by junior Maria Arenas (Stratford, Conn.). Four separate Owls posted double-digit dig totals on the evening. Sophomore Manjit Chase (Alexandria, Va.) and junior Ashley Coombs (Trumbull, Conn.) split setting duties on the evening, tallying 17 and 15 assists, respectively.

For American International, Charisse Trotman led the attack with a double-double of her own, as she racked up a match-high 16 kills to go along with 12 digs. Krystle Neves joined Trotman in double digits with 10 kills of her own, and Ozge Ozkan dished out a match-high 39 assists.

Mendizabal and Hollingsworth were both selected by coaches as members of the all-tournament team.

The Owls return to the court tomorrow on the second day of the tournament. SCSU will face Caldwell at noon before squaring of against the host University of the Sciences in Philadelphia at 4 p.m.