“We played all we could play. We laid it all out there,” senior outside hitter Alli Alberts said. “I’d be upset if we didn’t.”

The No. 3 volleyball team’s quest for back-to-back national titles ended with a 3-1 loss, halting an eight-year streak of regional championships and a nine-year win streak against No. 8 Ohio Northern University (ONU). Northern upset No. 5 Wittenberg University 3-2 on Friday.

Polar Bear junior Liz Schnelle had seven kills in the first frame and 22 overall to establish a 6-1 Northern lead. Wash. U. could not close the gap beyond three points after committing nine errors throughout the set and fell 25-15.

The second set proved more competitive, as the Red and Green fought a point-for-point battle, pulling away to a 13-8 lead off a kill by senior outside hitter Ali Crouch. The Polar Bears rumbled back with strong serving to tie the set at 16. A kill by Northern’s Schnelle collided with senior right side hitter Nikki Morrison’s wrist with such force that Morrison, who was 2008 UAA MVP, was pulled for the rest of the match. As of press time, it is not known if Morrison’s wrist is sprained or broken.

A quartet of ONU kills widened the gap, and a 4-0 run at the 19-point mark sealed the Bears’ fate in the second set.

Coming out of the break and digging deep within for everything it had, Wash. U. played for every point. A block by freshman middle hitter Erin Kasson and Alberts, a solo block by Kasson and an ace by Crouch increased Wash. U.’s lead to 18-11. The Polar Bears clawed back to 20-17, though two kills by both Crouch and Kasson and strong defensive efforts put the game out of reach.

The fourth set was a fierce battle, as the Bears contested every single hit. “It came down to focus and being able to stop runs,” junior libero Laura Brazeal said. Two Wash. U. errors and two Northern blocks had Wash. U. trailing at the 7-11 mark. Despite their best efforts, the Red and Green could not overcome the lead and lost 25-19.

Brazeal led the defense with 28 digs as players were running into the bench and diving across the court to keep play alive. Offensively, Kasson was a powerhouse with 14 kills, Crouch recorded 12 and junior middle hitter Erin Albers had 11. Senior setter Audra Janak’s 48 assists aided her in leading several Bear comebacks. Janak and Morrison declined interviews about their last match.

“[Ohio Northern] wanted it more,” Kasson said. “Not that we didn’t want it. They just played better. They didn’t make as many mental mistakes.” Wash. U. committed 26 attack errors while Northern only had 14.

In the first two rounds of the NCAA tournament, the Bears dispatched Frostburg State and the College of Mount St. Joseph in 3-0 sweeps. Morrison led with 11 kills in the 25-9, 25-13 and 25-16 victory over Frostburg State.

The College of Mount St. Joseph took the Bears as far as they could go without winning a set in the 27-25, 25-20, 25-22 match. Albers and Kasson powered Wash. U. with key blocks that halted Lion comebacks. Albers had 14 kills, and Kasson had five block assists.

“We are disappointed we lost, but we have to reflect on all the greats things that happened,” Head Coach Rich Luenemann said. “One loss is just a loss. It’s not the end of the world.”

The American Volleyball Coaches Association named Kasson as AVCA Central Region Freshman of the Year. Alberts, Janak, Morrison and Albers were named to the All Central Region first team. Those platitudes add to the list of honors garnered this season including a UAA title. “I’m just happy to be part of this team this year,” Kasson said.

Despite the graduation of Alberts, Crouch, Janak and Morrison, other players have taken up the University tradition.

“The first challenge of the returning players is for leaders to step forward by example, being vocal and saying ‘Okay. This season is over, but our future lies ahead of us. Let’s plan to get back to the Final Four again,’” Luenemann said.

The seniors are confident in the future success of their younger teammates.

“I keep telling [the underclassmen], ‘You’re going to win your own national championship,’” Crouch said. “They don’t need us. They’re only going to get better.”

The point could have been any one of the 75 scored in a 3-0 victory over Concordia University on Friday’s senior night.

Seniors Alli Alberts, Ali Crouch, Audra Janak and Nikki Morrison of Washington University’s No. 4 volleyball team all contributed to the play. A dig by Alberts, a set by Janak, a fake by Morrison and a spike by Crouch gave WU a 1-0 lead in the third set. “It meant a lot for us to be on the court at the same time,” Crouch said.

In their time at Wash. U., the seniors have helped capture the 2006 UAA and the 2007 NCAA Division III national championship, a feat they will try to accomplish once more in their final season in uniform.

“It’s weird to think the season is almost over,” junior Erin Albers said. “We all love the seniors.”

Morrison and Crouch ran wild against Concordia University, recording 15 and a career tying high of 13 kills respectively as Wash. U. won in straight sets (25-13, 25-21 and 25-15).  Janak led with 43 assists and Alberts had a team high of 11 digs. “All the seniors played exceptionally well and gave a little extra,” freshman Erin Kasson said.

Concordia had a 21-19 lead in the second set before a kill by Janak off an Alberts assist and another kill by Crouch knotted the score at 21. Janak and sophomore Nicole Penwill had back to back block assists, freshman Tricia Brandt sent in a service ace and Crouch clinched the set with kill.

Sophomore Zach Streit, who was dressed as a penguin for a Halloween party, did pushups for every kill Crouch made on Friday. “No words to express it,” Crouch said. “I love Zach.”

Prior to the Culver-Stockton College match, the seniors were presented with gifts from their coaches and younger teammates. It was Albers and Kasson who tore up the court against Culver-Stockton, as the Bears mauled the Wildcats with a 25-19, 25-19, 25-14 lashing. Middle hitters Albers and Kasson had 12 and 10 kills respectively.

Monmouth College nearly pulled off an upset Saturday morning. After the Bears demolished the unranked Scots 25-11 and 25-14, the Fighting Scots held on to early leads to defeat the Bears 25-21 and 25-23, forcing a fifth set.

“Wash. U. made some uncharacteristic errors, and we didn’t,” Monmouth Head Coach Kari Shimmin said.

The freshmen duo of outside hitter Kristen Thomas and setter Lauren Budde connected four times in the decisive 15- 9 fifth set. Thomas’ career high of 18 kills propelled the Bears to victory. “It shows that we can’t let up,” Morrison said.

Wash. U. turned up the pressure against Millikin University, opening up with a 25-13 win. Morrison, Albers, Crouch, Alberts and Kasson all had seven or more kills in the definitive victory. Alberts led the offense and defense with team highs of 10 kills and 17 digs as the Bears took the second and third sets 25-19 and 25-14.

Morrison, Albers and Kasson were named to the All Tournament Team. Morrison led the Bears with 35 kills this weekend while Albers and Kasson both recorded 34 kills. The three hitters accounted for more than 50 percent of the Bear’s 200 kills this weekend.

The Bears are the No. 2 seed in the University Athletic Association championships after falling to No.2 Emory University. Wash. U. takes on No. 3 seed Carnegie Mellon University, No. 6 Case Western Reserve University, and No. 7 New York University this weekend. The conference finals will be held at 4:30 p.m. in the Field House on Saturday with the winner receiving an automatic postseason bid.

“Now’s the time we step up and play hard,” Brandt said. “Hopefully we’ll have lots of fans and kick butt.”

It will not be an easy task to retain the title as the Bears, ranked second in the Association of Volleyball Coaches top 25 poll, will face eight teams ranked in the preseason top 25 poll during the weeks to come.

Key players from the 2007 team, Lindsay Schuessler, Kathy Leeper, Haleigh Spencer and Ellen Bruegge, all graduated in May. Bruegge scored the national championship-winning point last November against the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater, and Spencer was named to the NCAA Championship All-Tournament Team.

“Losing several of our starters was a concern for several of the upperclassmen as we entered the preseason, but after only a day of practice, we were put at ease to see how strong our team this year is,” co-captain and senior Audra Janak said.

According to Head Coach Rich Luenemann, this season’s squad is the largest and has the most depth he’s ever had.

“We have a strong core coming back, the other returning players in the fight [for a spot] and a talented freshmen class,” Luenemann said.

That strong core includes several offensive powerhouses such as seniors Nikki Morrison and Janak and junior Erin Albers. Albers received All-America honors last season, while senior Alli Alberts was the Most Valuable Player in the NCAA Championship. Junior Laura Brazeal, who was 10 digs shy of the single-season school record, also returns to anchor the defensive line.

Other returnees who have played key roles include senior Ali Crouch, juniors Vicki Blood, Jennee Montijo and sophomores Ali Hoffman, Nicole Penwill, Marya Kaminski and Jennifer Varriano. Varriano will be able to play for the first time in her collegiate career, after recovering from last season’s injury.

Seven freshmen joined the squad this season and will help attempt to improve upon the program’s nine national titles, a Division III record.

“The freshman class is very strong and will have a great impact on the success of this team,” Janak said.

The Bears also look to continue their academic success. The squad received a Team Academic Award from the American Volleyball Coaches Association for maintaining a team cumulative grade point average of at least 3.30, while nine players received University Athletic Association All-Academic honors, the most in any school in the UAA. “We’re pleased that the Bears can excel in the classroom and on the court,” Luenemann said.

The Red and Green start the season with the WU Invitational on Saturday against Lawrence University at 5:15 p.m. in the Field House. The Bears will also face Simpson College, Cardinal Stritch University and the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire as they prepare for the Teri Clemens Invitational and the showdown with rival and preseason No. 1 Juniata College.

“Preseason rankings don’t mean that much to our team,” Janak said. “It’s all about who ends up on top at the end.”