PLYMOUTH, Wis. – The University of Chicago played from in front much of the match and the Lakeland University women's volleyball team fell in three sets Tuesday night in first home match of the season at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.
The Maroons prevailed 25-17, 25-19, 25-19 in the non-conference matchup, the first meeting between the teams in 13 years. Chicago played like a team lurking not far outside the AVCA/NCAA Division III Top 25 Coaches Poll, improving to 8-1 this year, while the Muskies dropped to 1-9 overall against another tough early season schedule.
Lakeland did what it could but couldn't match the Maroons' firepower, hitting .082 for the match with 28 kills and 20 errors. Chicago hit .222 with 38 kills and 18 errors, and six different players recorded at least four kills for the visitors.
The Maroons led start-to-finish in third set and were ahead for all but a few brief moments in the first and third sets as well. Lakeland did rally from a 4-0 deficit to start the match, scoring seven of the next nine points to briefly take the lead before Chicago responded with an 8-3 run and gradually built its lead the rest of the set.
The Muskies started well in the third set, scoring the first two points including freshman
Faith Baker (
Verona, Ill.) delivering a kill and then teaming with
Briuna Harper (
Sr.-Waxahachie, Texas) for a block. Lakeland still led as late as 9-8, but the Maroons ran off the next seven points and never were seriously threatened again.
Susana Stevens (
Sr.-Las Cruces, N.M.) finished with six kills and
Caitlyn Pernsteiner (
So.-Arpin, Wis.) added five kills to lead the Muskies' attack.
Sydney Gay (
Fr.-Rice Lake, Wis.) led the setters with 11 assists,
Ryan Figi (
So.-Hartland, Wis.) notched eight digs and Harper added four kills, three blocks (one solo, two assisted) and two service aces.
Tahlita Marangon led Chicago with seven kills and nine digs. Grace Xu finished with 17 assists and Nicole Martinez added three service aces off the bench.
Lakeland is back on the road Friday when it travels to face Elmhurst (Ill.) University for a 7 p.m. start in Elmhurst, Ill.
