WAVERLY, Iowa – The Lakeland University women's volleyball team jumped on Buena Vista (Iowa) University early and stayed in control the rest of the way for an impressive three-set sweep to start the Iowa Intercollegiate Athletic Conference-Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference Challenge event Friday hosted by Wartburg College.

The Muskies defeated the Beavers 25-16, 25-20, 25-18 to open the event convincingly. Lakeland then lost to Coe (Iowa) College 30-28, 25-20, 25-21 to finish with a split on the day with a pair of teams that entered with winning overall records.

Lakeland (8-6 overall) hit .217 against Buena Vista (9-5 overall) with 42 kills and just 17 errors in an efficient performance. The Muskies broke open the first set with six straight points to take an 18-12 lead, and Lakeland never trailed again the rest of the match.

Allison Errthum (Jr.-Joliet, Ill.) led the attack with 10 kills and added three service aces, while Shannon Bishop (Fr.-River Grove, Ill.) added nine kills. Freshman setter Madison Schweitzer (Thornton, Ill.) also posted 30 assists, a team-high 16 digs plus two service aces, while Taylor Levitt (Sr.-Schaumburg, Ill.) and Brianna Johnson (So.-Altoona, Wis.) both added 10 digs each.

The Muskies couldn't pull out any of three close sets against Coe despite having leads in all three sets. Lakeland led 20-16 in the first set, trailed just 21-19 late in the second set and was ahead 21-19 late in the third set before the Kohawks (8-6 overall) finished the match on a 6-0 run.

Errthum again led the attack with 10 kills and added 10 digs, Schweitzer piled up 26 assists and a team-leading 17 digs, and Levitt added 13 digs. Emma Bruder (So.-Frankfort, Ill.) also added three aces.

The Muskies are back in action tomorrow at noon against Loras (Iowa) College and then face host Wartburg at 4 p.m.