SHERMAN, Texas – The Lakeland University women's volleyball team opened its season with a pair of competitive matches but fell twice at the Austin College Classic Friday.
The Muskies went to five sets with St. John Fisher (N.Y.) University in their first match of the day before the Cardinals prevailed 25-12, 23-25, 18-25, 25-14, 15-12. Lakeland then later in the evening lost in three sets to host Austin College, 25-22, 25-21, 25-20.

The Muskies opened their trip to Texas with a mix of good and not so good throughout the day, but in the end played through tough spots and challenged two teams that posted winning records a year ago.

Lakeland opened against another team traveling a sizeable distance to play in Texas, and its day got off to a foul start with the attack misfiring early. The Muskies mustered just three kills in their first set as St. John Fisher (1-1 overall) dominated early, but Lakeland turned it around quickly. The Muskies warmed up to win the next two sets, including a close second set that was tied at 23-23 before kills by Bailey Pearson (Jr.-Niagara, Wis.) and Susana Stevens (Sr.-Las Cruces, N.M.) evened the match.

The Cardinals bounced back in the fourth set, finishing on a 17-6 run after the teams were tied early, and St. John Fisher also gained the upper hand early in the deciding fifth set. A four-point run for a 6-2 lead included two of the Cardinals' whopping 22 service aces, and Lakeland appeared in trouble when St. John Fisher led 12-5, just three points from victory. The Muskies put together a valiant rally, and got as close as 13-12 after a marathon point ended with Isabella Westerholm (Sr.-Prior Lake, Minn.) tipping it over from the middle for a kill, but the Cardinals closed it out with a kill and a block to win.

Lakeland came back later to face the host school, and though the Kangaroos completed the sweep all three sets were close. The teams combined for 27 ties and six lead changes, and the Muskies were within two points late in all three sets.

Stevens finished with 14 kills against Austin after also pacing Lakeland with 13 kills in the first match against St. John Fisher. Caitlyn Pernsteiner (So.-Arpin, Wis.) added 10 kills against Austin and Ryan Figi (So.-Hartland, Wis.) totaled 11 digs.

Roseily Carrasquillo (Sr.-Yabucoa, Puerto Rico) and Kaitlyn Ramirez (Jr.-El Paso, Texas) shared setting duties and finished with 35 and 32 assists, respectively. Other standout performances in the opener came from Texas natives Briuna Harper (Sr.-Waxahachie, Texas) and Rylee Esquibel (Fr.-Devine, Texas), with Harper posting nine kills against St. John Fisher and Esquibel totaling 14 digs in her collegiate debut.

The Muskies are in action again on Saturday, this time heading south to the University of Dallas for a pair of matches. Lakeland takes on McMurry (Texas) University at 2 p.m. and then faces host school Dallas at 4 p.m.