Franklin women's volleyball didn't win on Saturday, but on the road against a tough Millikin squad, the Grizzlies earned a measure of respect against a team ranked 12th in the country a just few weeks ago.

Though his team was on the wrong end of a 25-14, 25-20, 25-23 score, Franklin coach Dillon Taylor was impressed with what he saw from his team.

"I thought once we settled in, we really showed how competitive we are with a great team," Taylor said, noting that all of Millikin's five losses have come to teams either ranked or receiving votes in the Division III national polls. "I was pleased with our fight in sets two and three."

After going down in set one, the Grizzlies (9-9) showed some grit in the second, erasing a couple of early three-point deficits and taking a 16-15 lead. The Big Blue scored the next three points to go ahead, and while Franklin briefly got back within one at 20-19 on a Kaitlyn Lavy kill, it was unable to regain the upper hand.

In the third set, Franklin trailed 14-8 but again rallied, eventually tying the score at 22-22 on the strength of a 5-1 run that included two Lauren Kinsey kills. The Grizzlies tied it again at 23-23, but Millikin scored the next two points to end it.

Taylor credited Lavy, who had a team-high eight kills, with making some big offensive plays when the team needed it and said the same about Hannah Phegley (nine digs) on the back row. Kinsey contributed seven kills and two solo blocks in defeat.

Next for the Grizzlies will be a Tuesday evening home match against DePauw.