With a chance to make a move in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference this week, the Lakeland College women's volleyball team got off to a good start on a critical stretch at home by handling Milwaukee School of Engineering in four sets Tuesday night at the Woltzen Gymnasium.
The Muskies defeated the Raiders 25-15, 25-13, 23-25, 25-16, with only a third-set slip-up keeping them from making the match a rout. Lakeland caught MSOE in the NACC standings, moving to 4-3 in conference (11-14 overall) while the Raiders fell to 4-3 in league play (9-11 overall).
The Muskies won in convincing fashion, hitting .194 for the night with 47 kills to 20 errors in 139 attack attempts. That mark was far better than the mark posted by the visitors, who hit -.034 with 23 kills and 28 errors in their 145 attempts.
It looked as if those in attendance would need to get comfortable for a long night after several long points early on, but Lakeland took control of the match midway through the first set. The teams were tied 9-9 in the early going when the Muskies scored five of the next six points and went on to win the set going away.
The second set followed a similar pattern, with the two squads tied at 8-8 before Lakeland went on a 9-1 run to pull well ahead. The Muskies had a chance to close out the match in three sets, leading 19-15 late, but the Engineers hung around and then scored the final four points of the set to send the match to a fourth set.
Allison Errthum (
Fr.-Joliet, Ill.) led the Muskie attack with 13 kills,
Jenna Ward (
Jr.-Wisconsin Dells, Wis.) notched 11 kills and
Kathy Flanagan (
So.-Midlothian, Ill.) added nine kills.
Taylor Levitt (
So.-Schaumburg, Ill.) finished with 40 assists and
Caleigh Galvan (
Jr.-New Lenox, Ill.) led the team with 23 digs and four service aces. Lakeland also got a lift off the bench from
Brooke Aiazzi (
Jr.-Yerington, Nev.), who finished with a season-high 20 digs.
The Muskies finished with just four blocks but played well at the net and also took advantage of a rough night for MSOE's Sarabeth Haworth. The Raiders' leading hitter coming in finished with zero kills and seven errors in 31 attack attempts.
The Muskies are home again Friday night when they host Rockford (Ill.) University at 7 p.m. Lakeland also hosts Concordia University Chicago on Saturday night, also at 7 p.m.
