PLYMOUTH, Wis. –  Home was a welcome sight for the Lakeland University women's volleyball team as it jumped to a big lead early in the first set and controlled play virtually the whole way in a three-set sweep of Milwaukee School of Engineering Tuesday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Muskies handled the Raiders 25-16, 25-15, 25-18 for their first Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference win of the season. Lakeland played at home for just the second time this season and first time in 20 days and improved to 5-9 overall and 1-1 in the NACC.

The Muskies were the better team in virtually every area and trailed just once in the match against the young Raiders (1-7 overall, 0-2 NACC), who started three freshmen. Lakeland served 11 aces and was excellent defensively with eight blocks and good back row work resulting in MSOE finishing with a negative hitting percentage with 23 kills and 27 attack errors.

The Muskies got off to a quick start, scoring the match's first seven points in the first set. Maeve Sullivan (Jr.-Chicago, Ill.) delivered three service aces in the opening run and Lakeland never trailed in the opener. Hailey DeGrave (Jr.-Sturgeon Bay, Wis.) also added three aces in the set, her third one at set point to give the hosts a comfortable opening win.

MSOE briefly took the lead early in the second set, going ahead 6-3 after consecutive kills by Emma Braun. Lakeland would come back with the next six points, though, including two more aces from DeGrave, to take a 9-6 lead. The Muskies then ended the set with six consecutive points, with Emily Duchow (Sr.-Potter, Wis.) adding two more aces and Brelynn Scoles (Jr.-Kewaskum, Wis.) and Isabella Westerholm (So.-Prior Lake, Minn.) adding a block as Lakeland pulled away late.

The Muskies got off to a good jump again in the third set with the first four points, and finished with three runs of four straight points plus two more runs of three straight in the set. The Raiders briefly cut a nine-point deficit down to five late before Lakeland closed it out with the final two points for the win.

Katie Metzler (Jr.-Kewaunee, Wis.) and Susana Stevens (So.-Las Cruces, N.M.) posted eight kills each to lead the Muskies' attack with Metzler also adding five blocks (two solo, three assisted). Duchow finished with 22 assists, Sullivan totaled 16 digs and five aces, DeGrave finished with five aces and Scoles added ten digs.

Braun and Abby Balkema led MSOE with six kills each. Alexis Hicks added 15 digs.

Lakeland will compete Saturday in the Red Hawks Invitational hosted by Ripon College. The Muskies face Saint Mary's (Minn.) University at 10 a.m. and then take on host Ripon at noon.