Box Score CORAL GABLES, Fla. ---- Down 2-0 in the season opener, the Bulldogs were resilient and fought back to force a fifth set but could not complete the comeback, as they fell 3-2 against Rutgers in the opening match of the Hurricane Invitational.
 
The Samford (0-1) attack was limited by 26 errors, as they earned a .250 clip with 71 kills in 180 swings.  Neisler led the offense with 19 kills while four others were in double digits.  Michaela Reesor notched a double-double with 13 kills and 17 digs while Casey Garvey earned a personal-best 61 assists, completing the double-double with 13 digs as well.  Rutgers (1-0) hit .232 with 64 kills, with Alex Lassa leading both teams with 20 kills.
 
The Scarlet Knights went on an 8-3 run to begin the opening frame, but the Bulldogs fought back to tie the set at 10-10 and then take the lead with the 11th point.  Samford started to take momentum in the middle of the set, as they pulled ahead 16-12 to force a Rutgers timeout.  The Scarlet Knights fought back in the late stages however, as they tied it at 21-21 to force a Samford timeout.  The teams traded points out of the break as Rutgers reached set point first, up 24-23.  A Samford attack error ended the set with Rutgers taking the slim 25-23 set one victory.
 
The teams were even through the beginning of set two, as neither could maintain a scoring rally and gain a significant lead.  Samford built a two-point lead as a Reesor service ace put the Bulldogs up 20-18, forcing Rutgers to take at timeout.  The Scarlet Knights took three quick points out of the break to move up 21-20, but a kill by Murphy tied the game back up.  Down 23-21, Samford looked to regroup with a late timeout.  A Neisler kill gave the Bulldogs possession, down 24-23, but a Samford blocking error gave Rutgers the 25-23 set two win.
 
Samford took the early 3-0 lead in set three, but that would be the largest lead for the Bulldogs until they moved up 17-14.  Out of a late timeout, a hard-hit ball by Devaughn tied the match up at 23-23.  Rutgers came back with a kill to reach match point, but a kill by Murphy and a service ace by Reesor put Samford at set point, up 25-24.  With Samford up 27-26, a Rutgers service error allowed the Bulldogs to avoid the sweep and take set three.
 
With their momentum renewed from the previous set, the Bulldogs pulled ahead to a 5-1 lead to begin the fourth frame.  Samford maintained the four-point lead and stretched it to five on a kill by Bauer, forcing the Scarlet Knights to regroup with a timeout as the Bulldogs led 12-7.  Up 16-8, Samford knocked in four consecutive kills, including two aces by Chelsi Carter, to move up 20-8.  Up 22-14, Samford put together a 3-0 run to take the fourth set 25-14.
 
The action was back-and-forth in the final frame with the Bulldogs earning the 8-6 edge as the teams switched sides in the middle of the set.  The Scarlet Knights charged back however, as they pulled ahead 12-10 to force a Bulldog timeout.  The Bulldogs could only muster one point after the break however as they ultimately fell 15-11.
 
Samford resumes play tomorrow, first facing Ole Miss at 10 a.m. ET and then host team Miami at 7 p.m. ET.