Granted it was known that John Carroll would be facing a pair of outstanding volleyball teams this weekend in Springfield, Ohio.

But the Blue Streaks were looking for victories other than moral.

That would be the only kind John Carroll would bring home after a tough Saturday. The Blue Streaks fell in five to an 18-2 Washington & Lee team, then was swept by 16-3 and #5 ranked Wittenberg as part of a tri-match that Wittenberg hosted.

JCU started off well against Washington & Lee. After dropping the opener 25-22, the Blue Streaks finished strong in game two (25-22) and then appeared to seize command of the match with a 25-14 win in game three.

But the Generals showed grit, and started off strong in game four and never looked back in winning 25-14, setting up a winner-take-all game five.

JCU opened up with a 4-0 lead, but Washington & Lee responded with a 6-0 run. The Blue Streaks never led again and fell 15-10.

Leah Switalski (15) and Alexa Webber (12) led JCU in the offensive attack. The teams were separated by a single call (Washington & Lee with 55, John Carroll with 54) at match's end.

The final contest of the tri-match event pitted JCU head coach Laura Roddefer against the team she helped guide to a national title in 2011. It was that experience that guided Rodeffer to eventually take the John Carroll coaching position in time for the 2012 season.

In facing the Tigers, JCU would get a taste of why Wittenberg is one of the nation's elite teams. Wittenberg cruised to a 25-11, 25-20, 20-16 win, as the Tigers had 44 kills compared to John Carroll's 25.

Webber (7) and Switalski (6) had 13 of JCU's 25 kills.

The two losses represent John Carroll's first losing streak of the 2014 campaign as JCU's record slipped to 16-5.