CHICAGO --- University of St. Francis kept its head above the .500 mark for the season after returning home from the Saint Xavier University/Illinois Institute of Technology Crossover Tournament with a 2-2 split of its four decisions on Friday and Saturday.

The Fighting Saints (5-4) opened play with a 25-19, 25-22, 25-17 victory over Avila University (Mo.) before falling to St. Ambrose University (Iowa), 23-25, 25-23, 25-22, 25-19, at Illinois Tech's Keating Hall on Friday.

USF then dropped its second straight decision to start play on Saturday at the Shannon Center on Saint Xavier's campus. Baker University (Kan.) handed the Saints the 25-23, 27-25, 25-18 loss in the morning before head coach Cara Currier's club regrouped for a 25-20, 25-17, 21-25, 25-16 win over Ashford University (Iowa) in the afternoon to wrap up the tournament.

In Friday's opener, junior outside hitter Kyrsten Becker (Rolling Meadows H.S./Arlington Heights, IL) and freshman outside hitter Jazzmyne Robbins (La Salle-Peru H.S./Peru, IL) led USF's .290 offensive attack. Becker authored nine kills and just one error in 15 chances for a .533 attack percentage, while Robbins posted a team-high 14 kills opposite five errors in 30 opportunities (.300). Becker was just as strong defensively with her 11 digs and 14 passes without an error.

Senior libero Courtney Ambrosch (Loyola University/Joliet, IL) led USF's defensive attack with 14 digs and 16 passes.

The Saints struggled in nearly all facets of their game in Friday's nightcap despite opening with the first-game win over St. Ambrose. USF managed just a .069 attack percentage committing 23 errors to go along with another seven errors on serves and seven more on passes.

Junior middle blocker Lauren Hoffman (Plainfield South H.S./Plainfield, IL) was one of a few bright spots with her six blocks. Ambrosch was flawless on defense with her 15 passes and 27 digs, while sophomore right-side attacker Sarah Ahline (Lemont H.S./Lemont, IL) turned in nine kills.

Hoffman and Robbins each authored 11 kills in the loss to Baker. Both teams went back and forth in the first two games with Baker prevailing both times, rallying late in Game 2 to win. The Wildcats used that momentum to lead throughout Game 3.

In the finale, Ahline came up big for the Saints with a team-leading 15 kills and a .464 attack percentage, while Robbins notched her third double-digit kill effort of the tournament (12 kills). For the tournament, Robbins totaled 39 kills with Ahline and Hoffman collecting 32 each.

Hoffman also added 11 blocks over the four matches.

Freshman setter Ashley Richards (Wilmington H.S./Wilmington, IL) posted a collegiate-high 42 kills against Ashford to finish the tournament with 142 assists.

USF's defense was led by Ambrosch with her 84 digs and 68 receptions for the four matches.

The Saints start another busy week on Tuesday when they travels back to Chicago to open Chicagoland Collegiate Athletic Conference play against Robert Morris University (7 p.m.) before playing Lewis University in Romeoville on Wednesday (7 p.m.). USF continues its 12-match road trip on Friday and Saturday at the Indiana Wesleyan University Wildcat Classic.