MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State volleyball team (0-2) fell to the Central Oklahoma Bronchos (1-0) in a tightly-contested match by a final score of 3-1 on Saturday at the Northern Michigan University Open.
The Lakers came out of the gate strong with back-to-back kills from Emilee McDaniel (Manistique, Mich.) and Jordyn Haller (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.). The Bronchos were able to tie up the score, but McDaniel was there to retake the lead. Both teams would continue to trade blows as neither team could pull ahead by more than two points. Central Oklahoma was able to pull slightly ahead, but the Lakers were able to rally for a 5-1 run to retake the lead that was capped off by a kill from Nina White (Chelsea, Mich.), forcing a Broncho timeout. Central Oklahoma was able to once again tie up the score, but a pair of kills from McDaniel once again put the Lakers back in front. The set would continue to go down to the wire, but Taylor Fleming (Rogers City, Mich.) provided the set-clinching kill the Lakers had been looking for to take a 1-0 lead in the match by claiming the first set by a score of 25-23.
White was able to get the Lakers on the board first in the second set, but the Bronchos answered with a 5-0 run. After a timeout to regroup, the Lakers responded in force with a 6-1 run of their own to retake the lead that featured a Sydney Briney (St. Joseph, Mich.) service ace. From there, the set was back and forth before Central Oklahoma managed to take a three-point lead, but the Lakers kept the score close with a pair of kills from Fleming and Maggie Morris (Schoolcraft, Mich.). However, it would not be enough as the Bronchos claimed the second set by a score of 25-22, tying the match at 1-1.
White would once again get the Lakers on the board first to start the third set before back-to-back service aces from Fleming propelled the team to a 7-1 run to start the set before back-to-back Haller kills forced an early Broncho timeout. Central Oklahoma was able to narrow the gap with a 4-1 run of their own, but McDaniel was there with the answer to keep the lead at five. However, the Bronchos would continue to slowly chip away at the lead until they eventually tied up the set at 16-16. Both teams would trade points back and forth on their way to a 21-21 tie before a timeout was called. After talking things over, a pair of kills from Emily Kalinowski (South Lyon, Mich.) and Fleming gave the Lakers a two-point edge and a pair of set-point opportunities, but the Bronchos were able to tie the score at 24-24 after a timeout of their own. After trading blows back and forth, Central Oklahoma would eventually take a hard-fought third set by a score of 32-30.
The fourth set would start off how the third ended, highly competitive with neither team able to pull ahead. A pair of kills from Haller helped pave the way for a 4-1 Laker run to go up by three, but the Bronchos would go on a 10-1 spurt of their own to retake the lead. Kills from McDaniel and Fleming would help the Lakers chip away at the lead, but it would not be enough as the Bronchos would ultimately hold on to take the fourth set 25-17 and the match by a final score of 3-1.
Haller and McDaniel led the way offensively for the Lakers with 16 and 15 kills, respectively, with the latter also earning three solo blocks. Kalinowski picked up 40 digs while also tallying 11 digs. Meanwhile, Ally Lasley (Birch Run, Mich.) had 23 digs to lead all players.
The Lakers return to action on Saturday, Aug. 27 when they conclude the NMU Open with matches against the Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles at 9 a.m. and the Bemidji State Beavers at 3 p.m.