Freshman Susana Stevens (Las Cruces, N.M.) debuted with nine kills but the Lakeland University women's volleyball team fell to Carthage College in three sets in both teams' 2021 season openers Wednesday night at Carthage's Tarble Arena.

Carthage played up to its national No. 5 ranking in the AVCA/NCAA Division III top 25 preseason coaches poll, prevailing 25-15, 25-22, 25-16. Lakeland dropped to 0-1 this year with the first of four straight matches against nationally ranked teams to open its season.

Stevens provided a bright spot on the attack, hitting .471 for the match with nine kills and just one error in 17 attacks. The Muskies hit just .076 as a team, though, with 27 kills and 20 errors in 92 attack attempts, not enough to keep up with a Carthage team that posted 38 kills and 16 errors in 94 swings (.234 hitting percentage).

Lakeland played from behind for a good portion of the night and was especially done in by big runs in the first and third sets. The Firebirds scored seven straight points in the first set to turn a 5-4 deficit into an 11-5 lead, and in the third set scored six straight points, propelling a 10-1 run that turned a 10-8 Muskies' lead into an 18-11 advantage for the hosts.

Lakeland's best chance to push the match to at least a fourth set came in the second, when it took an early 9-2 lead. Carthage came back to tie the match at 11-11, and the teams then traded momentum swings back and forth, right up to a kill by Brelynn Scoles (So.-Kewaskum, Wis.) to tie it at 22-22. The Firebirds closed the set with the final three points, though, finishing with a pair of blocks to take a two-set lead in the match.

Scoles finished with eight kills and freshman Isabella Westerholm (Prior Lake, Minn.) added five kills in eight attacks. Scoles and Sydney Pingitore (Sr.-Kenosha, Wis.) also added eight digs each and Katie Metzler (So.-Kewaunee, Wis.) finished with three blocks. Emily Duchow (Jr.-Potter, Wis.) led the setting with 10 assists.

Haley Horner led the Carthage attack with 15 kills and also added four service aces, part of the Firebirds' 11 aces for the match. Liv Carel added eight kills plus seven digs.

Lakeland next will travel to Chicago this weekend to take part in the Gargoyle Classic hosted by the University of Chicago. The Muskies will take on a trio of nationally ranked teams, beginning with the host Maroons Friday at noon.