MEQUON, Wis. – Samya Hughes (Fr.-Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) set a new school single-match record for kills and the Lakeland University women's volleyball team earned its biggest win yet this season with a five-set defeat of Concordia University Wisconsin Saturday afternoon at CUW's R. John Buuck Fieldhouse.

The Muskies used a scintillating fifth set to finish a 25-23, 28-26, 22-25, 20-25, 15-3 victory over the Falcons. Lakeland won its sixth straight match and again claimed a huge match for position in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference in improving to 12-13 overall and 6-3 in conference.

The Muskies also defeated Concordia (10-12 overall, 6-3 NACC) in five sets for the second straight year, and once again in dramatic fashion in the final set. Last year it was Lakeland coming back from 11-3 down in the fifth to win 17-15 at home. This time it was the Muskies finishing by scoring the match's final 11 points to win the deciding set going away.

Hughes delivered a kill for a 5-3 lead in the fifth for her 26th kill of the match, setting a new school single-match record for kills. The freshman broke the record of 25 kills set 29 years ago by Pam Adelman against Maranatha Baptist Oct. 22, 1996, and tied last year by Susana Stevens against MSOE Oct. 10, 2024.

Serving specialist Amira Szczepanski (Sr.-Fredonia, Wis.) came on to serve at 5-3 and promptly delivered an ace, and Hughes and Faith Baker (So.-Verona, Ill.) followed with kills. Baker would add two more kills, Szczepanski added another ace and Baker was a part of a pair of blocks, the last coming on match point combined with Hughes to close it out.

The Muskies were sharp throughout against the Falcons, hitting .284 for the match with 69 kills to just 21 errors. Lakeland's worst hitting percentage for a set was the third with a still-respectable .170 mark, and the Muskies closed out the fifth with a .533 mark with nine kills and one error in 15 attacks.

The teams were close for much of the match, though runs by Lakeland in the first and later the fifth set, as well as a set point saved in the second, proved to be the difference.

The Muskies trailed 15-11 in the first set but answered with an 8-1 run to take a lead they would never give back even as CUW saved one set point and trailed just 24-23 before a Hughes kill closed the set. Lakeland also held a four-point lead late in the second set at 20-16, but Concordia came back to lead 23-22 and held a set point at 25-24. Caitlyn Pernsteiner (Jr.-Arpin, Wis.) posted a pair of kills, though, and then closed the set with a service ace to give the Muskies a 2-0 lead in the match.

The Falcons made the plays late in the third set, scoring five of six points after the teams were tied 19-19. Concordia then broke out to a 16-9 lead in the fourth set, and eventually claimed the set after the Muskies drew back within 22-20 late.

Hughes finished with 27 kills in 70 attack attempts, and is now up to 369 kills on the season, tied with April Peterson in 1998 for 12th-most in a season in program history. She also added 10 digs and three block assists.

Maleigha Kovalaske (So.-Ripon, Wis.) also added 13 kills and both Baker and Pernsteiner finished with 10 kills each. Sydney Gay (So.-Rice Lake, Wis.) also set a career high with 56 assists.

Ryan Figi (Jr.-Hartland, Wis.) led Lakeland with 20 digs and Kovalaske added 11 digs with Katelyn Kitsembel (Sr.-Lake Mills, Wis.) also posting 10 digs. Kenzie Jackson (Fr.-Mansfield, Texas) also paced the team with five blocks (two solo, three assisted).

Paige Stickney led Concordia with 17 kills, one of four players with at least 13 kills. The Falcons hit .238 for the match with 70 kills and 26 attack errors.

Lakeland is on the road again on Thursday when it travels to face Wisconsin Lutheran College at 7 p.m. in Milwaukee.