News Photo by Leslianne Johns ACC's Alivia Freel celebrates after a tough back-and-forth rally on Sunday.

ALPENA — The Alpena Community College Lumberjacks volleyball team faced off against the Oakland Community College Owls on Sunday in a tough matchup that saw the Jacks competing closely but ultimately falling in three straight sets.

The opening set showcased just how tight the competition would be. Oakland established control early, forcing Alpena to play from behind. Midway through the set, Alpena strung together points to briefly take the lead, but the Owls quickly responded with a run of their own. From there, the Lumberjacks were always within striking distance, battling through each rally and looking for ways to close the gap, but Oakland held firm and sealed the set 25-20.

The second set featured longer rallies, with both sides trading attacks and showing strong defensive play. Alpena consistently worked to chip away at Oakland’s slim advantage, but the Owls managed to pull ahead little by little. Even though the Jacks extended several points with scrappy play and long exchanges, Oakland’s consistency on the attack helped them secure a 25-14 win.

In the third set, Alpena fought to keep pace. The Lumberjacks stayed close through the early going, challenging Oakland with competitive play and refusing to let the Owls pull away too quickly. Still, every time Alpena tried to make a push, Oakland answered back. The set remained competitive until the closing stretch, when Oakland pulled ahead and finished the match with a 25-18 victory.

Although the scoreboard favored Oakland, Alpena showed grit and determination throughout the contest, battling through extended rallies and staying close in each set.

The Lumberjacks travel to North Central Michigan on Monday, Sept. 15 for a 6:30 p.m. contest.