GARY, Ind. – Sarah Neighbors led the Trolls with 18 kills as three players reached double figures in a five-set battle, but Trinity would come up just a few points short at Indiana Northwest on Thursday night.

Neighbors finished with a .255 attack percentage, second-highest on the team, while also recording 18 digs on the night. Sharide Sykes recorded her third triple-double of the year, finishing with 15 kills, 29 assists, and 17 digs.

In the opening set the Trolls would take a 19-18 lead before the hosts scored four straight to move in front, 22-19. Trinity would take four of the next five, including a kill and solo block from Aolani Cannon to reach set point at 24-23. The RedHawks would rally, scoring three in a row to steal the opener, 26-24.

After a back-and-forth start to game two, the Trolls used an 11-1 run to lead 23-12. Neighbors would collect five kills throughout the set, as Trinity evened the match with a 25-15 win.

Another tight game in set three would see Indiana Northwest as the first to reach 20 points, as part of a 5-1 run that put the RedHawks ahead 21-18. A kill from Neighbors and two more from Dej'a Williams kept Trinity close, and kills from Raimey Owens and Sykes held off two set points, but the hosts would eventually take the 25-23 win.

Game four would see six lead changes after the RedHawks went on a 5-1 run to go back up 22-21. A pair of kills from Neighbors would keep Trinity within reach, but Indiana Northwest would get match point at 24-23. The Trolls responded with three straight kills from three different players, with Williams, Neighbors, and Sykes forcing a fifth set with a 26-24 decision.

In the fifth set Trinity would open with a 4-0 lead, and would remain in front at 8-5, but the RedHawks came back with six in a row to take a 11-8 advantage. Both sides would be perfect on sideouts over the next eight points, until another match point for the RedHawks at 14-13. Indiana Northwest would get a kill on the next point to take the match.

The Trolls still hold the opportunity to host a first-round match in next month's CCAC Tournament, with four matches remaining in the regular season. Trinity kicks off a three-match homestand on Tuesday, Oct. 21 when they host St. Ambrose in DeVos Gymnasium at 7:00 p.m.