DUE WEST, S.C. - The Anderson University volleyball team wrapped up its nonconference slate with a 3-0, (25-23, 25-22, 25-23) loss to archrival Erskine, Wednesday night at Belk Arena.

Anderson (7-8) slipped below .500 for the first time this season with its fourth consecutive setback, while Erskine improved to 10-5 overall with its sixth straight win and evened the battle for the coveted Beville Cup at one point apiece.

Sophomore Marissa Mitter led the Trojans with 11 kills, while adding six digs on the night. Fellow Sophomore Serena Jackson and junior Tinsley Hallman each posted seven kills, with Hallman narrowly missing her sixth double-double of the season by coming up with nine digs. Redshirt junior Priscilla Irizarry handed out a team-high 27 assists and tallied nine digs, with freshman Emily Conard recording a team-best 10 digs on the night.

In the first meeting between the two squads since 2013, the Flying Fleet posted a .286 hitting percentage and blanked Anderson for the first time since 2009, when both schools were members of Conference Carolinas.

Behind the strong serving of Hallman, the Trojans snapped an early 2-2 deadlock with a 6-1 outburst and jumped out to an 8-3 advantage. But the Fleet answered with a 7-2 run of its own to knot the score for the third time of 11 occasions at 10 apiece. The lead changed hands five times over the rest of the set, with Erskine taking a lead it would not relinquish, at 22-21, and holding off the Trojans for the two-point victory.

The second set featured two early lead changes, with Anderson breaking a 6-6 tie with six unanswered points to build its largest lead of the frame. The Flying Fleet chipped away and trimmed the AU advantage to two points before the Trojans rebuilt a 17-12 lead. But Erskine responded with a 6-1 surge to even the score at 18 apiece, with the lead changing hands three times in the final moments before the Fleet claimed the final two points for the narrow win.

The final frame saw 12 ties and five lead changes before Erskine took advantage of its .326 attack percentage and steadily build a six-point cushion late in the set. Trailing, 20-14, the Trojans posted a furious rally that fell just short. AU capitalized on three errors by the Fleet and back-to-back kills from Mitter and freshman Savannah Bean to battle back within 22-20. Following a kill from EC's Kelly Sullivan, Mitter knocked down another kill and another Fleet miscue saw AU within 23-22. The Fleet's Sade Mendez and Mitter traded kills, before Erskine's Payton Duncan finished the set with her match-high 18th kill.

Anderson jumps back into South Atlantic Conference action by welcoming Coker and preseason league favorite Wingate to the Abney Athletic Center this weekend. First-serve versus the Cobras is set for Friday at 7 p.m.