ROCHESTER, N.Y. -- Sophomore Kaylee Kelly had a match-best 18 kills with a pair of service aces and five digs Thursday as host Nazareth held off a stiff challenge from Houghton to win a four-set women's volleyball match at the Kidera Gymnasium. Scores were 27-25, 23-25, 25-19, 26-24.

Nazareth was able to even its overall record at 2-2, while Houghton dropped to 3-2. The Golden Flyers close out their abbreviated regular-season schedule Saturday with two matches at home against Russell Sage. The teams will play an Empire 8 Conference match at 1 p.m., followed by a non-conference match at 3.

The Golden Flyers were on the brink of heading to a fifth set Thursday, but managed to escape by rallying from a 24-18 deficit. After a Houghton service error, Olivia Quick served up the last seven points. McKenzie Hart delivered three kills, including the last one of the match. Julia Cavanaugh added a kills and a block during the late scoring run.

Nazareth also rallied to win the first set after trailing 23-19. After rallying to tie the set at 25-25, Kelly converted back-to-back kills to give Nazareth the set.

After Houghton prevailed in the second set, Nazareth got four more kills from Kelly and three from Cavanaugh to take the third set.

Then, after leads of 13-8 and 14-9 in the fourth set, Nazareth nearly squandered that when the Highlanders came back to take a 24-18 advantage.

Hart finished with nine kills and eight digs and Eva Lyko added eight kills and Cavanaugh seven. Freshman Kelly Taylor had 30 assists and Quick finished with 11.