BOLIVAR, Mo. - The Lake Superior State University volleyball team (1-5) fell to the Southwest Baptist Bearcats (2-3) and the Rockhurst Hawks (6-0) by equal scores of 3-0 on Friday at the Drury/SWB Invitational.
Southwest Baptist
The Bearcats opened up the scoring in the match, but the Lakers responded with a 4-1 run that featured a pair of kills from Taylor Fleming (Rogers City, Mich.)to take a slim lead. Southwest Baptist pushed back in front, but the Lakers were once again able to answer with a 4-0 run as Fleming served three consecutive aces to retake the lead. However, the Bearcats were able to go on a 12-1 run to take the first set.
The second set started off with both teams trading blows. The Bearcats were able to go out in front, but a kill from Olivia Boutorwick (Macomb, Mich.) opened a 5-1 run to tie the set at 8-8.
Both teams would then go back and forth, trading blows throughout most of the set. However, a 6-0 Bearcat run would allow them to take the second set.
The Bearcats came out strong in the third set to take a 7-3 lead, but the Lakers responded as an Ally Lasley (Birch Run, Mich.) service ace cut the lead to a single point. Southwest Baptist was able to push ahead again, but the Lakers would once again get back to within one after a kill and an ace from Emilee McDaniel (Manistique, Mich.). From there, both teams would go back and forth on their way to a 21-21 tie after Lake State came back from another three-point deficit. Kills from McDaniel and Maggie Morris (Schoolcraft, Mich.) kept the score knotted up, but the Bearcats answered with two consecutive points to take the set 25-23 and the match 3-0.
McDaniel had 11 assists to lead the way offensively. Sydney Briney (St. Joseph, Mich.) and Fleming each tallied six digs with the latter also having three service aces. Meanwhile, Emily Kalinowski (South Lyon, Mich.) led all players with 30 assists.
Rockhurst
The Hawks came out swinging, but the Lakers were able to chip away and cut the lead down to one point. Rockhurst was then able to settle down and push ahead, leading by as many as seven points, but the Lakers would once again chip away at the lead with multiple 3-0 bursts that featured kills from Fleming and Morris to cut the lead back down to two. However, the Hawks managed to use a 6-1 run to close out the first set 25-18.
The Lakers were able to strike quickly to open the second set, using an early service ace from Briney to take an early 3-1 advantage, but the Hawks were able to tie up the score. The set would then be back and forth with both teams on their way to a 9-9 tie. However, the Hawks managed to use runs of 6-0 and 8-1 to push ahead and claim the second set 25-17.
The third set would start off very competitive just like in the second with both teams battling to a 9-9 stalemate, but this time, it was the Lakers that jumped out ahead as they utilized multiple Nina White (Chelsea, Mich.) kills to go on runs of 3-0 and 5-0 on their way to a 16-12 lead. The Hawks would respond with a run of their own to retake the lead, but the Lakers were not ready to give up as they answered with a 5-1 run to take a late 23-22 lead. However, the Hawks were able to settle down and earn the final three points to take the set by a score of 25-23 and the match 3-0.
Four Lakers tallied at least five kills during the contest. Meanwhile, Kalinowski notched 21 assists, and Lasley picked up double-digit digs.
The Lakers return to action on Saturday for the second day of the Drury/SWB Invitational when they take on the Missouri Western State Griffins at 10 a.m. and the second host school of the tournament, Drury at 12:30 p.m.