MARQUETTE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State volleyball team (1-3) split their matches on the final day of the Northern Michigan Open with a 3-0 sweep of the Minnesota-Crookston Golden Eagles (0-3) and a competitive 2-3 loss to the Bemidji State Beavers (1-2) on Saturday.
Minnesota-Crookston
The First set started off close, but the Lakers would utilize a 3-0 run that was capped off with an ace from Emily Kalinowski (South Lyon, Mich.) to push ahead for an early 7-3 lead. The Golden Eagles were able to go on a 6-1 run of their own to take the lead, but Emilee McDaniel (Manistique, Mich.) made her presence felt with an emphatic kill as the Lakers rallied back to tie the set at 16-16. Minnesota-Crookston would then pull ahead by three to apply pressure, but the Lakers would once again answer as back-to-back Jordyn Haller (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) kills tied the score at 21-21. Then, after trading points, the Lakers would use a pair of kills from Taylor Fleming (Rogers City, Mich.) to take the first set 26-24.
The Lakers were in control early in the second set as back-to-back service aces from Ally Lasley (Birch Run, Mich.) kicked off an early 12-2 run that forced a Golden Eagle timeout. Minnesota-Crookston was able to chip away at the lead to get within as close as five points, but the Lakers responded with a 10-1 run to win the second set in dominant fashion by a score of 25-11.
In the third set, both teams traded blows early, but the Lakers would once again find their rhythm as they pulled ahead with a 5-0 run. The Golden Eagles were able to respond to cut the lead back down to one point, but once again, the Lakers pulled ahead with a 5-0 run to force a timeout. The Golden Eagles were able to reduce the gap to as few as four points, but the Lakers were able to press onward before Nina White (Chelsea, Mich.) ultimately ended the set at 25-17, securing the Lakers' first win of the 2022 season in a 3-0 sweep.
Bemidji State
Both teams traded points to open the match on their way to a tied score of 9-9, but the Beavers were able to use a 5-0 run to pull ahead. A pair of kills from White helped keep the Lakers within striking distance as they worked to chip away at the lead, going on a stretch of winning five out of seven points to pull within two to force a Beaver timeout. Bemidji State would pull out ahead again, but the Lakers were able to seize the momentum with a 5-1 run to bring the score to 23-24, forcing another timeout. However, the Beavers were able to convert after the timeout to take the first set 25-23.
The Beavers claimed the first two points of the second set, but an Emily Hagelthorn (South Lyon, Mich.) service ace helped the Lakers rattle off three straight points of their own. Then, after the Beavers took a slight lead, the Lakers were able to seize momentum, utilizing a 7-1 run to take a 10-6 lead and forcing a timeout. Bemidji State would respond, tying the set at 12-12, but the Lakers once again pulled ahead with a 3-0 spurt that was capped off with a kill from White. However, the Beavers again chipped away at the lead to tie the score at 17-17. Both teams would go back and forth for the remainder of the set as a pair of kills from Fleming tied the set at 23-23, and after fending off multiple set point opportunities, the Lakers were able to ultimately earn the second set by a score of 29-27, tying the match at 1-1.
The third set would begin in the same fashion the second set ended, back and forth with neither team able to take control. However, the Beavers were able to go on a 7-1 run to pull ahead. The Lakers were able to rally with a 6-1 run of their own that featured kills from White and Maggie Morris (Schoolcraft, Mich.), but the Beavers held on to take the third set 25-21.
The Lakers started off strong in the fourth set with a 5-1 run, but the Beavers rallied to tie the set at 7-7. Bemidji State was then able to use a 4-0 run to pull ahead by three, but the Lakers answered with a 4-1 run of their own to tie up the set at 15-15. After trading blows, the Beavers would once again take a slight lead late in the set, but a kill from McDaniel kept the Lakers in the match as both teams found themselves in a 24-24 tie. With the match on the line, the Lakers were able to fend off three match points before taking three straight points of their own to claim the fourth set 28-26, forcing a decisive fifth set.
White was able to get the Lakers on the board early in the fifth set, but the Beavers were able to use a 4-1 run to take a 5-2 lead. A kill from Kalinowski kept the Lakers within striking distance, but a 5-0 Bemidji State run extended the lead. The Lakers attempted to rally with a 5-1 run, but it would not be enough as the Beavers held on to claim the fifth set 15-10 and the match 3-2.
The Lakers return to action on Friday, Sept. 2 for a doubleheader against Southwest Baptist and Rockhurst in Bolivar, Mo. for the first day of the Drury/Southwest Baptist Invitational.