Courtney Naser (So.-Altoona, Wis.) posted a season high in kills and a career high in blocks and the Lakeland College women's volleyball team won a showdown for place in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference standings by defeating Aurora (Ill.) University in four sets Friday night at the Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Muskies defeated the Spartans 25-21, 25-18, 23-25, 25-23 to move one game ahead of Aurora in the conference standings. Lakeland also received an unexpected gift Friday night as Marian University surprised Benedictine (Ill.) University in four sets, meaning the Muskies clinched the fourth seed and a home match in the first round of the upcoming NACC Tournament. Aurora also is locked into the fifth seed in the tourney, meaning Lakeland will host Aurora for a second time this year in the NACC quarterfinals on Tuesday, Nov. 3.

Lakeland (13-14 overall, 7-3 NACC) finally got over a hump it has been so close to climbing over all season, defeating one of the conference's top four teams last year. The Muskies were defeated twice by Aurora (12-15 overall, 6-4 NACC) last year, including in five sets on the road in the NACC Tournament quarterfinals, and also were close this year in losses to Concordia University Wisconsin and Dominican (Ill.) University.

Lakeland got the job done over Aurora in rather convincing fashion, leading much of the way in each of the three sets it won. The Muskies turned around a 9-6 deficit early in the first set by scoring nine of the next 10 points, outscored the visitors 14-7 to close out the second set and never trailed in the fourth set.

Naser led with 13 kills, one shy of a career high, and did add a career high with six blocks (one solo, five assisted), The sophomore attacked at a .333 rate with just four errors in 27 attempts.

Brittini Scoles (So.-Kewaskum, Wis.) piled up 12 kills, Allison Errthum (So.-Joliet, Ill.) added 11 kills as well as 12 digs and four blocks (one solo, three assisted) and Kathy Flanagan (Jr.-Midlothian, Ill.) also chipped in nine kills.

Lakeland's attack numbers weren't gaudy with 50 kills and 29 errors in 156 attempts resulting in a .150 percentage, but they were superior to Aurora's .051 percentage with 40 kills and 32 errors in 158 attempts. The Muskies were outstanding defensively, forcing NACC kills leader Peyton McKenzie to work for all of her 20 kills in 61 attempts.

Caleigh Galvan (Sr.-New Lenox, Ill.) finished with 25 digs, many of the spectacular variety as she repeatedly fought off the heat from McKenzie, and Emma Bruder (Fr.-Frankfort, Ill.) also added 13 digs. Taylor Levitt (Jr.-Schaumburg, Ill.) also added 40 assists setting the offense and tied her season high with 16 digs.

The Muskies are home again Saturday morning when they host Benedictine at 11 a.m.