Bowling Green, Ky. – Annie Bierman and Christen Sikora each recorded double-digit kills, but Furman was unable to hold off Northwestern and fell to the Wildcats, 3-0 (14-25, 22-25, 20-25), on Friday night in the Paladins' first game of the Holiday Inn University Plaza Invitational, hosted by Western Kentucky.

Bierman put down 13 kills and 12 digs for her fourth double-double of the year, while Sikora added 10 kills and nine digs. Jo Wilks dished out 27 assists and 12 digs, while Meg DeMaar added 11 digs. Amelia Bohlander and Cynthia Ley each turned in a team-high two blocks for the Paladins.

After Northwestern finished the first set on a 7-2 to win 25-14 and take a 1-0 lead in the match, the teams traded points in set two until the Wildcats opened up a 12-10 lead and forced the Paladins to take a timeout. The teams continued to trade points until, with the score tied at 16, Furman used a 5-0 run to take a 21-16 lead in the set. The Wildcats would not go away quietly, however, using a 4-1 run to cut Furman's lead to 22-20. Northwestern finished the set on a 5-0 run to win 25-22 and take a 2-0 lead in the match.

Four-straight Northwestern points prompted Furman's first timeout of set three trailing 13-8, before the Paladins used a 5-0 run to tie the match at 13. The teams traded points until Northwestern grabbed a 21-17 lead and forced Furman's final timeout of the set. The teams traded points the rest of the set and the Wildcats held off the Paladins, 25-20, for the 3-0 match win.

Furman is back in action tomorrow, taking on tournament-host Western Kentucky in a 12:00 pm (ET) contest.