FOND DU LAC, Wis. – A pair of close sets went its way early and the Lakeland University women's volleyball team finished the job in the fourth set to defeat Marian University on the road Friday night at Marian's Sadoff Gymnasium.

Frustrated several times earlier this month with losses after bolting out to early leads in a match, the Muskies didn't let the opportunity slip away this time, prevailing 28-26, 26-24, 16-25, 25-17 for their second straight win. Lakeland also moved ahead of Marian in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference standings, improving to 5-16 overall and 4-7 in conference while the Sabres dropped to 11-12 overall and 3-8 in the NACC.

The Muskies hit well for most of the match and bounced back from a subpar third set to quickly regain their stride with a strong start to the fourth set.

Lakeland hit .179 for the evening with 51 kills and 24 errors in 151 attempts. Take out the team's 11 kills and 10 errors in the third set and the Muskies hit .239 in the three sets they won.

Lakeland fought off two set points in the first set, closing with the final three points including kills by Brelynn Scoles (So.-Kewaskum, Wis.) and Emily Bird (Jr.-Waterford, Wis.). The Muskies also rallied from down 18-14 in the second set, outscoring Marian 12-6 the rest of the way and closing the set on a kill by setter Roseily Carrasquillo (Fr.-Yabucoa, Puerto Rico).

The Sabres bounced back to win the third set, taking over after Lakeland built a 12-8 lead. Marian finished the set scoring 17 of the final 21 points, including runs of six, five and three points, but the Muskies did anything but crumble.

Lakeland scored the first nine points of the fourth set, including two kills from Susana Stevens (Fr.-Las Cruces, N.M.), another by bird plus four attack errors by the Sabres. Marian did make a run, scoring six straight points to slash an 18-8 lead down to 18-14. The Muskies would allow the Sabres no closer, though, and closed the match with the final three points including a kill by Isabella Westerholm (Fr.-Prior Lake, Minn.) and an ace from Kimmy McKay (Sr.-Bolingbrook, Ill.).

Stevens again paced the Lakeland attack with 14 kills, Westerholm delivered nine kills without an error in 14 swings (.643 hitting percentage) and Bird added a season-high eight kills plus six block assists. Kelly Swope (So.-Heyworth, Ill.) finished with 23 assists and 11 digs and Carrasquillo added 20 assists. Sydney Pingitore (Sr.-Kenosha, Wis.) paced the Muskies with 17 digs and Maeve Sullivan (So.-Chicago, Ill.) also added 14 digs.

Kaitlyn Merrill paced Marian with a match-high 19 kills and Serina Pehowski added 11 kills. Brooklyn Taylor also contributed 21 digs. The Sabres hit .138 as a team with 48 kills and 26 errors in 160 attacks.

Lakeland is on the floor again Saturday morning when it hosts Illinois Institute of Technology for Senior Day and a noon first serve at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.