OSHKOSH, Wis. – It was another near-miss for the Lakeland University women's volleyball team as St. Catherine (Minn.) University rallied from multiple deficits in the final set and defeated the Muskies in five sets Friday afternoon on the first day of the Marty Petersen Invitational hosted by the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh.
The Muskies led for much of the final set but the Wildcats came back to win the match 26-24, 23-25, 19-25, 25-20, 16-14. Lakeland dropped to 1-6 overall and lost in five sets for the second time this season.
The Muskies led 5-1 early in the deciding fifth set and later held leads of 11-8 and 12-9 both after kills by
Caitlyn Pernsteiner (
So.-Arpin, Wis.). Lakeland was then two points from closing out the match after a kill by
Rylee Esquibel (
Fr.-Devine, Texas) made it 13-11, but St. Kate's (6-1 overall) came back.
The Wildcats scored three straight to take the lead and get to match point, but
Briuna Harper (
Sr.-Waxahachie, Texas) delivered a block to tie at 14-14. St. Kate's would finish the match with the final two points, closing on a 5-1 run to clinch the win.
The Muskies saw an opportunity slip away after rebounding from losing a close first set to take the second and third sets and go ahead 2-1 in the match. The Wildcats won the fourth set, but Lakeland came out strong in the fifth set in a match that was virtually even through five sets, with both teams finishing with 59 kills and similar hitting percentages (.121 for Lakeland versus .112 for St. Catherine).
Susana Stevens (
Sr.-Las Cruces, N.M.) posted 18 kills for the second time this season and led the Muskies' attack. Pernsteiner also contributed 14 kills and
Faith Baker (
Fr.-Verona, Ill.) added nine kills.
Kaitlyn Ramirez (
Jr.-El Paso, Texas) also posted a big double-double with career highs of 27 assists and 19 digs.
Roseily Carrasquillo (
Sr.-Yabucoa, Puerto Rico) and
Ryan Figi (
So.-Hartland, Wis.) also added double figures in assists and digs, with Carrasquillo posting 18 assists and 10 digs and Figi tying Esquibel for the team lead with 20 digs and also adding 10 assists.
Katelyn Kitsembel (
Jr.-Lake Mills, Wis.) also added 15 digs and Harper led the defense at the net with five blocks (three solo, two assisted).
Eleanor Erickson finished with 12 kills to lead four players with at least 10 kills for St. Kate's. Brenna Essig added a match-high with 28 digs.
Lakeland continues play at the Marty Petersen Invitational with two more matches Saturday. The Muskies face North Central (Ill.) College at 9 a.m. and then take on Whitworth (Wash.) University at 1 p.m.
