Box Score 1 | Box Score 3 PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Hailey DeGrave (Jr.-Sturgeon Bay, Wis.) set career highs with 18 kills and 26 digs and the Lakeland University women's volleyball team earned a big Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference win in defeating Benedictine University in four sets Saturday at the Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Muskies rebounded from a slow start to win in four grueling sets, 20-25, 25-23, 25-23, 25-19. Lakeland later added a three-set win over Carroll University, defeating the Pioneers 25-19, 25-23, 25-23 to finish 2-0 in its home triangular and improve to 12-12 overall this season.

The Muskies also moved to 5-4 in the NACC and into a tie with Benedictine in the conference standings and in the chase for a spot in the six-team NACC Tournament. The two teams join Wisconsin Lutheran College in a three-way tie for fifth in the conference with four conference matches left for each.

Lakeland and Benedictine both came into Saturday off long, hard-fought matches the night before, with the Muskies falling at St. Norbert College in four long sets and the Eagles dropping a five-set decision at Concordia University Wisconsin. Saturday's match less than 15 hours later proved to be one of survival, with a number of long rallies between two tired teams in a four-set match that lasted a full two hours.

Lakeland started slow and never led in the first set, but rebounded to take control of the second set, leading 20-12 after a run of five straight points including two kills from DeGrave. The Eagles (10-13 overall) came all the way back, though, to tie at 23-23 before a kill from Isabella Westerholm (So.-Prior Lake, Minn.) and a block by Westerholm and Kelly Swope (Jr.-Heyworth, Ill.) finally closed out the set.

Benedictine appeared in the third set on its way to retaking the lead in the match, leading 18-13 late and still holding a 22-18 lead just three points from taking the set. Improbably the Muskies would rally, outscoring the Eagles 7-1 the rest of the set with DeGrave hammering home five kills, including the winner at set point.

The fourth set turned in Lakeland's favor just past the midway point, with the Muskies scoring four straight points to take a 15-12 lead. Lakeland would never trail again, with Benedictine only getting within 18-17 before the hosts scored four straight points and finished the match on a 7-2 run.

DeGrave moved into the rotation early in the match and proved a difference-maker in her first heavy action in the front row in weeks, breaking her previous career best of 16 kills last year. She also blew away her former career high of 15 digs with excellent work in the back row.

Katie Metzler (Jr.-Kewaunee, Wis.) also added 15 kills with just two errors in 31 attacks for a .419 hitting percentage. Emily Duchow (Sr.-Potter, Wis.) also set career highs with 47 assists and 19 digs, Maeve Sullivan (Jr.-Chicago, Ill.) finished with 21 digs and Swope added 18 digs.

Benedictine was led by Olivia McPherson with 16 kills, but the Muskies outhit the Eagles (a .155 attack percentage to .090) and finished with 60 kills to the guests' 37 kills.

Lakeland also defeated Carroll in three sets later in the afternoon. Statistics are unavailable at this time. Carroll also defeated Benedictine in three sets in the day's second match.

The Muskies are back in action Tuesday when they travel to Milwaukee to take on Alverno College at 7 p.m.