RIVER FOREST, Ill. – The back half of a two-day trip to the Chicago area was less kind for the Lakeland University women's volleyball team as it fell to Dominican University in three sets Saturday afternoon at Dominican's Igini Sports Forum.
The Muskies fell 25-23, 25-18, 25-13 to the hot-hitting Stars, losing for the second time in Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play. Lakeland dropped to 1-2 in the NACC and 2-11 overall on the season.
The Muskies were in River Forest Friday night and prevailed over Concordia University Chicago Friday night, but Saturday's match against Concordia's rival from down the street was a struggle. Dominican hit .316 for the match with 40 kills and just nine errors, while Lakeland hit .072 (29 kills, 20 errors) and went downhill after a solid first set that went down to the wire.
Lakeland fought back from a 19-15 deficit late in the first, scoring four straight points to tie including back-to-back kills by
Brelynn Scoles (
So.-Kewaskum, Wis.). Dominican (4-12 overall, 1-3 NACC) responded with the next three points, though, and held on even as the Muskies drew within a point at 23-22 and again at 24-23.
Lakeland led early in the second set and was up 8-7 when the Stars took control of the match with a 14-3 run. Dominican also finished the match on another big run in the third set, turning a 13-11 lead into a 25-13 win by scoring 14 of the final 16 points.
Susana Stevens (
Fr.-Las Cruces, N.M.) finished with seven kills, Scoles added six kills and
Kelly Swope (
So.-Heyworth, Ill.) added five kills plus three block assists. Scoles also added a team-high 10 digs and
Sydney Pingitore (
Sr.-Kenosha, Wis.) and
Emily Duchow (
Jr.-Potter, Wis.) added eight digs each. Duchow also finished with 10 assists and
Roseily Carrasquillo (
Fr.-Yabucoa, Puerto Rico) added nine assists and a team-high two service aces.
Gabija Sinickaite and Emily Schellhase led the Dominican attack with 12 and 10 kills, respectively. Maya Green also added eight kills without an error plus 13 digs and four block assists. Sarah Lychock finished with a match-high 19 digs.
Lakeland next will play its second home match of the season when it hosts Concordia University Wisconsin Tuesday at 7 p.m. at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.
