MILWAUKEE –
Susana Stevens (
Sr.-Las Cruces, N.M.) tied a 28-year old program record for kills in a match and the Lakeland University women's volleyball team came all the way back from a two-set deficit to defeat Milwaukee School of Engineering in five sets Thursday night at the Kern Center.
The Muskies fought back for a 16-25, 25-27, 25-13, 25-23, 15-12 victory in another important Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference match. Lakeland won in five sets for the second time in league play and remains one match out of the top spot in the conference at 4-1 (6-14 overall).
A number of Muskies posted big statistical nights, and none more than Stevens. The senior outside hitter set a career high and tied a Lakeland single-match record with 25 kills. She equaled a record set by Pam Adleman (1993-96), who put up 25 kills Oct. 22, 1996 against Maranatha Baptist.
Stevens delivered 14 of her kills over the third and fourth sets, as the Muskies were in must-win situations after losing the first two sets. She posted seven kills in both sets, including a close fourth set that was decided by two points.
The fifth set featured six ties and three lead changes, as MSOE (10-11 overall, 2-3 NACC) staged its own comeback. Lakeland built an early 6-2 lead after back-to-back kills by
Caitlyn Pernsteiner (
So.-Arpin, Wis.), but the Raiders scored the next four points to tie and later scored three in a row to go ahead at 10-9.
The Muskies responded with three in a row, including kills by
Briuna Harper (
Sr.-Waxahachie, Texas) and
Rylee Esquibel (
Fr.-Devine, Texas). MSOE would tie it one more time at 12-12 after a kill by Emma Schattschneider, but Lakeland got to match point at 14-12 after a kill by Stevens, and Esquibel served an ace to close out the nearly two-hour match.
Harper also set a career high with 11 kills, Esquibel and Pernsteiner posted nine kills each and
Isabella Westerholm (
Sr.-Prior Lake, Minn.) added eight kills. Lakeland hit .235 as a team with a season-high 66 kills and 19 errors.
Ryan Figi (
So.-Hartland, Wis.) also set a big career high with 29 digs, eight more than her previous best set earlier this season. Esquibel added 18 digs and Pernsteiner finished with 14 digs. Freshman setter
Sydney Gay (
Rice Lake, Wis.) also tied her season high with 42 assists.
Schattschneider led MSOE with 19 kills, Ashley Murphy finished with 11 kills and Sydney Emineth added 10 kills. Schattschneider also posted a team-high 22 digs.
Lakeland is home for its next match when it faces Illinois Institute of Technology at noon on Saturday at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.
