CHICAGO – Roosevelt proved it could hang with the best teams in the country Friday night despite a 3-0 loss to No. 2 Ferris State at the Goodman Center.

The Lakers remained winless in the Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference, but put a good scare into the second-ranked Bulldogs in the final two sets. Ferris State easily won the opening set 25-12, but had to put up more of a fight to hold off Roosevelt (2-18, 0-9 GLIAC) in the final two sets, 25-21 and 25-16.

Ferris State put some early pressure on the Lakers by taking five of the first six points in the match, and the deficit never dropped below three points the rest of the set. It took a lot longer for the Bulldogs to create some distance in the second set as the Lakers hung around with the top team in the GLIAC. The score was tied 13 times in the second set, including at 20-20, and the Lakers led eight different times.

Yuliia Shchepkina had four kills in the second set and Emily DeBlecourt added three more to power the resurgent Lakers offense. Cydney Martinez showed off her defensive prowess with six of her seven digs coming in the set.

The third set started off tight before a Ferris State run broke open the match in the middle of the third. Regan Miessler had five digs in that third set and Aleksandra Barac smashed down three kills, but it was not enough to overcome the Bulldogs' serving. Half of Ferris State's 10 aces came in the third set to hold off any chance for a rally from the Lakers.

Shchepkina finished with seven kills to lead the team and had both of the Lakers' aces in the match. Barac had six kills and tied Martinez for the team lead with seven digs, while DeBlecourt was involved in two of Roosevelt's three blocks, a solo stuff and an assisted block.

UP NEXT: The Lakers stay at home Saturday for a 4 p.m. match against Davenport at the Goodman Center. The Panthers are the final new opponent Roosevelt will face this season.