PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Lakeland University was in position to win late in all three sets, but it was Aurora University making the plays late in all to register a sweep of the Muskies Friday night in a Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference women's volleyball match at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.
The Spartans topped the Muskies 25-22, 25-23, 25-20 to remain undefeated in the NACC at 6-0 and add to Lakeland's struggles in the first half of the conference loop. The Muskies dropped to 2-12 overall and are now 1-4 in conference matches.
Lakeland played markedly better than it did three nights earlier in a four-set loss to another top NACC contender in Concordia University Wisconsin. The Muskies got a big game from freshman outside hitter
Susana Stevens (
Las Cruces, N.M.), kept alive a number of long rallies in the match, and were step-for-step with Aurora much of the night, as the three sets produced 24 ties and ten lead changes.
The Muskies jumped to solid early leads in both the first and second sets, including a 5-1 run right out of the gates in the first set with three kills from Stevens. The first set would go back and forth, with Aurora rallying to build a 16-12 lead before Lakeland fought back and led 20-19 after a kill by
Brelynn Scoles (
So.-Kewaskum, Wis.). The Spartans (12-6 overall) would come back with four straight points, though, and even two more kills from Scoles weren't enough to keep the guests from winning the opener.
The Muskies then bolted out to a 9-4 lead in the second set and never trailed until Aurora scored four straight points for an 18-16 lead. Lakeland would come back, though, to take a 21-20 lead and the teams were still tied at 22-22 before the Spartans again pulled out three of the final four points to win.
It was Aurora's turn to start fast in the third set with a quick 5-1 lead, but the Muskies came right back with five straight points for a 6-5 lead.
Briuna Harper (
Fr.-Waxahachie, Texas) came off the bench in the third and made an impact at the net with three block assists, and Lakeland stayed with the Spartans up to the teams being tied at 15-15. Aurora would finally take firm control for one of the few times in the match, with a 9-3 run to get to match point.
Kelly Swope (
So.-Heyworth, Ill.) and Stevens registered back-to-back kills to fight off two match points, but Kate Poellmann's tip over the net found an open spot and ended the match.
Stevens finished with a season-best 16 kills and hit .316 for the match with just four errors in 38 swings. Scoles also added eight kills plus a season-high 14 digs and
Sydney Pingitore (
Sr.-Kenosha, Wis.) added a team-high 16 digs.
Emily Duchow (
Jr.-Potter, Wis.) also notched 18 assists plus eight digs and
Roseily Carrasquillo (
Fr.-Yabucoa, Puerto Rico) added 13 assists and seven digs.
Emily Bird (
Jr.-Waterford, Wis.) also added three kills, four digs and three blocks (two solo, one assisted).
Lulu Torres led Aurora with 13 kills and Sydnei Avery added 11 kills. Dani Lauer posted 18 digs and Kaitlyn Beebe finished with 33 assists and 14 digs.
Lakeland is back on the court Saturday hosting a triangular with Rockford University and Carroll University. Play begins with the Muskies hosting Rockford at noon, with the Regents and Carroll facing off next at 2 p.m. and Lakeland and Carroll matching up at 4 p.m.
