HAMMOND, Ind. - The Lake Superior State volleyball team (2-20, 1-10 GLIAC) fell to the Cardinals of William Jewell (10-13, 1-7 GLVC) 3-1 and the Southwest Baptist Bearcats (13-10, 3-4 GLVC) in five sets on the second day of the Midwest Regional Crossover on Saturday.
William Jewell
The Lakers started off the opening match of the day strong with an early 5-0 run that featured multiple kills from Nina White (Chelsea, Mich.) and Mariana Velasque (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil). The Cardinals were able to tie the set at 9-9, but a service ace from Emily Kalinowski helped the Lakers to a 4-0 run to pull back ahead. However, the Cardinals were able to use a pair of runs to come back and take the lead, and despite kills from Kalinowski and Taylor Fleming (Rogers City, Mich.), William Jewell would take the set 25-21.
The Cardinals opened the second set with a 5-0 run, but multiple kills from Emilee McDaniel (Manistique, Mich.) and Fleming brought the Lakers back to within one. The Lakers were then able to take the lead with a service ace from Maggie Morris (Schoolcraft, Mich.), and she continued to make her presence felt with a pair of kills to give her team a 20-17 lead. The Cardinals were able to tie up the set at 21-21, but the Lakers responded by ending the set with a 4-0 run to claim it by a score of 25-21, tying the match at 1-1.
The Cardinals opened the third set with a 7-0 run, and after trading a few points, they would lead by as many as eight points. The Lakers fought back with a 6-0 run of their own to get back to within two, but William Jewell was able to survive the Laker rally to take the set by a score of 25-21.
Both teams battled early in the fourth set as McDaniel and Kalinowski combined on a block to tie the score at 7-7. However, the Cardinals were able to go on a 7-0 run to pull ahead. The Lakers rallied back to within four, but it would not be enough as William Jewell claimed the set and the match by respective scores of 25-18 and 4-1.
Despite the loss, Velasque, Fleming, and White all reached double-digit kills. Meanwhile, Kalinowski had an impressive 40-assist, 14-dig performance, more than doubling the assist total of the next closest player in the match, and Ally Lasley (Birch Run, Mich.) would also finish with double-digit digs.
Southwest Baptist
The Lakers would start off their afternoon match against the Southwest Baptist Bearcats strong with an early 9-1 run behind multiple kills from Velasque. The Bearcats were able to come back and take a 14-13 lead, but the Lakers responded with a run of 6-1 with three more kills from Velasque. Southwest Baptist would once again come back to claim a one point advantage, but the Lakers would settle down and end the set with a 5-0 run that featured kills from McDaniel and Valeriya Varnakova (Ufa, Russia) to take the opening set by a score of 25-21.
Both teams battled early in the second set as Fleming gave the Lakers a slim lead, but the Bearcats were able to slowly pull ahead throughout the set. The Lakers rallied back to within one after a 5-0 run that was capped off by a kill from Sydney Briney (St. Joseph, Mich.), but it would not be enough as the Bearcats claimed the set 25-22 and tied the match at 1-1.
Southwest Baptist would strike early in the third set, but the Lakers would use a 5-1 run that featured a service ace from Emily Hagelthorn (South Lyon, Mich.) to take the lead. However, the Bearcats were able to go on a 7-0 run of their own to pull back ahead. Both teams would go back and forth for the remainder of the set, but Southwest Baptist would ultimately hold on to take the set by a score of 25-18.
Both teams were neck and neck early in the fourth set on their way to an 8-8 stalemate, but the Bearcats would push ahead to go up by as many as five points. However, the Lakers would rally with runs of 5-1 and 5-0 that featured back-to-back service aces from Kalinowski to take the lead and the set by a score of 26-24, forcing a decisive fifth set.
The Bearcats struck quickly and pulled ahead in the final set. The Lakers were able to fend off three match-point opportunities, but it would not be enough as Southwest Baptist claimed the set and the match by respective scores of 14-8 and 3-2.
Velasque led the way offensively with 21 kills while Fleming, Morris, and Varnakova each had nine of their own. Kalinowski had another impressive performance from the setter position, leading all players with 47 assists. Meanwhile, Briney, Velasque, and Lasley each posted double-digit digs with Briney leading the trio with 20.
The Lakers return to action on Friday, Oct. 21 when they host the Purdue Northwest Pride at Bud Cooper Gymnasium with the first serve scheduled for 2 p.m.