ST. LOUIS, Mo. – Senior middle hitter Tricia McCutchan (Hamilton, Ohio/Stephen T. Badin) broke the Case Western Reserve University career kills record as the Spartans split a pair of matches on day one of the first 2011 University Athletic Association Round Robin on Saturday at Washington University Field House. The Spartans opened the day with a 3-1 victory versus the University of Rochester (N.Y.), then fell to No. 16 nationally-ranked University of Chicago (Ill.) in a 3-2 thriller.

The Spartans (12-5 overall, 1-1 UAA) wrap up play in St. Louis versus No. 4 Emory University (Ga.) at 12:00 p.m. (CDT) tomorrow.

McCutchan's 29 kills in two matches on Saturday vaulted her past Lindsey Deyer's (1998-00) CWRU record of 1,680. In 119 career matches, McCutchan has 1,701 kills.

Case defeated Rochester (12-7, 0-1 UAA) by scores of 25-15, 25-21, 18-25 and 27-25. Senior outside hitter Rachael Suchy (Venetia, Pa./Peters Township) led the attack with 14 kills, while McCutchan checked in with 12. Junior setter Breana Freeman (Geneva, Ohio/Geneva) paced the effort with 35 assists.

Defensively, junior libero Rachel Gulasey (Cleveland, Ohio/Magnificat) recorded 15 digs and junior specialist Olivia Stanton-Ameisen (Bryn Mawr, Pa./The Baldwin School) totaled 14.

Versus the nationally-ranked Maroons, the Spartans lost the first set 26-24 before rebounding to win the next two by counts of 25-20 and 26-24. Chicago answered in the fourth set, 25-22, then took the tiebreaker, 15-11.

McCutchan recorded 17 kills, while junior outside hitter Allie Palmer (Avon Lake, Ohio/Avon Lake) and Suchy totaled 13 and 11, respectively. Freeman led the way with 46 assists, while Gulasey paced the defense with 24 digs.

Following tomorrow's match with Emory, the Spartans return to action at local-rival John Carroll University at 7:00 p.m. on Wednesday, October 5.