FAIRFAX, VA --- In the final day of the DC Volleyball Challenge, the Howard women's volleyball was swept in its two matches, falling 3-1 to George Mason University and 3-2 to Georgetown University on Saturday.

HOWARD 1, GEORGE MASON 3 | BOX SCORE
Freshman setter Tamia Dockery recorded Howard's first double-double of the season and sophomore outside hitter Khaila Donaldson once again led the Bison (0-2) in kills in HU's four-set (21-15, 20-25, 25-18, 8-25) loss to the host Patriots (2-0).

Dockery had 21 assists & 10 digs and Donaldson netted 18 kills, one short of the game high posted by Mason's Morghan Martin.

Junior libero Morgan Marlbrough recorded a team-best 13 digs and junior setter Briana Jackson added 13 assists while freshman outside hitter Courtney Dalton & sophomore outside hitter Jasmine Sasser chipped in seven and six kills, respectively.

After two competitive sets to open the match, Howard finally broke through with its first set win of the season. A service ace by Jackson gave Howard an early 10-2 lead, which the Bison extended to 18-9 after forcing Martin into an attack error. A Mason service error clinched the final point for Howard to close out a set where the Bison hit .357, its best showing of the young season.

Unfortunately, Howard was unable to force a fifth set after struggling in the fourth, converting only four kills on 27 attacks and committing 11 errors (-.259).

HOWARD 2, GEORGETOWN 3 | BOX SCORE

Howard bounced back from the Mason loss to play its closest game of the weekend, a five-set (26-28, 19-25, 25-21, 25-21, 6-15) thriller against the Hoyas.

The match had a total of 31 ties and 16 lead changes, including eight ties and two lead changes in the opening set. After trailing by as many as six points (15-9), Howard eventually tied the score at 22-22 on a Dockery-to-Dalton connection. The Bison failed to take advantage in the end though, as only two of their final four points came on their own efforts (a block by Dalton & junior outside hitter Dominique Cleggett and a kill by Donaldson).

After falling in the second set and into an 0-2 hole, Howard started working its way back. Set three played out similarly to set one, with eight ties, four lead changes and the Bison trailing in the opening stages. This time around, HU stayed closer to Georgetown (trailing by no more than three points) and closed the set on a 6-2 run after a 19-19 tie.

Set four may have produced the largest momentum swings of the entire match. After Howard took a 9-7 lead, the Bison allowed the Hoyas to go on a 11-3 run to take the biggest lead of the set (18-12). Not to be denied, Howard countered with a 13-3 surge of its own to claim the set.

The energy expended on the team's comeback efforts proved to be too much in the final set, as Howard failed to rally back after taking a quick 2-1 lead.

Donalson matched Dockery's double-double from the Mason match with one of her own against Georgetown, posted a game-high 15 kills and 10 digs. Sasser added nine kils and Dalton had eight.

Dockery and Jackson both assisted on 17 kills while Marlbrough and senior outside hitter Jaleeza Stoudermire recorded 26 and 24 digs respectively. Junior middle blocker led Howard in the blocks category with seven assists.

NEXT UP: Howard will take on the Greyhounds of Loyola University Maryland on Tuesday, September 1 in Baltimore. First serve is scheduled for 7 p.m.