MILWAUKEE – Ryan Figi (Jr.-Hartland, Wis.) tied a season high with 23 digs and the Lakeland University women's volleyball team continued building momentum with a four-set win at Milwaukee School of Engineering Thursday night.

The Muskies overcame a second set air pocket to defeat the Raiders 25-14, 15-25, 25-21, 25-8. Lakeland continued its climb back up the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference standings, improving to 9-13 overall and 3-3 in conference with its third straight win.

The Muskies were in charge in the first and fourth sets and were up to the challenge in a close third set in moving past MSOE (4-16 overall, 2-4 NACC) in the conference standings.

Samya Hughes (Fr.-Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) and Maleigha Kovalaske (So.-Ripon, Wis.) again formed a 1-2 punch on the attack, combining for 35 of Lakeland's 51 kills. Hughes piled up 20 kills, her fourth match with at least 20 kills this season, and Kovalaske added 15 kills, posting at least 12 kills for the fifth time in seven matches.

The Muskies never trailed in the first set, but then never led in the second set as MSOE caught fire, hitting .390 with 17 kills and just one error in the set. Lakeland fell behind 8-6 early in the third set but countered with five of the next six points, including two kills from Hughes, a block from Hughes and Faith Baker (So.-Verona, Ill.), an ace by Kenzie Jackson (Fr.-Mansfield, Texas) and a kill by Caitlyn Pernsteiner (Jr.-Arpin, Wis.).

The Muskies held off the Raiders the rest of the third set, with the hosts getting within a point at 16-15 and still within 23-21 before an attack error and a Pernsteiner kill ended the set. Lakeland then jumped out to a 15-3 lead in the fourth set, with Hughes serving nine straight points and also adding eight kills in the set.

Pernsteiner added eight kills and Sydney Gay (So.-Rice Lake, Wis.) finished with 43 assists. Figi paced the back row defense with 23 digs, with Kovalaske posting 15 digs and Rylee Esquibel (So.-Devine, Texas) adding 12 digs. Kovalaske also notched four solo blocks.

Ashley Murphy finished with 12 kills to lead MSOE, which closed out hitting .076 for the match (38 kills, 26 errors).

Lakeland is back home Saturday when it welcomes Dominican University for a 4 p.m. first serve on the Muskies Homecoming.