Box Score 1 | Box Score 3 PLYMOUTH, Wis. – Samya Hughes (Fr.-Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) and Maleigha Kovalaske (So.-Ripon, Wis.) both had big days hitting and Sydney Gay (So.-Rice Lake, Wis.) reached the 1,000-career assist mark as the Lakeland University women's volleyball team split two matches at its home triangular Saturday at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.

The Muskies defeated Ripon College 25-18, 19-25, 25-10, 25-23 in their first match of the day before losing to Elmhurst (Ill.) University later in a match that went the distance, the Bluejays finally prevailing 25-19, 25-22, 22-25, 18-25, 15-12. Elmhurst also defeated Ripon 25-19, 21-25, 25-20, 25-16 in the middle match of the day to finish 2-0 in the tri-match.

Hughes racked up a season-best 22 kills against Ripon and also added 20 kills against Elmhurst for her third match with at least 20 kills this season. Kovalaske also posted 13 kills against Ripon and then set a season high with 18 kills against Elmhurst, three off of her career high set last season as a freshman at St. Norbert College.

The Muskies (6-11 overall) were efficient on the attack all day, hitting .331 against Ripon with 53 kills and just 12 errors) before cooling some but still attacking at a .267 rate against Elmhurst (6-12 overall).

Lakeland was in control much of the way against Ripon, save for a second set where the Red Hawks (6-12 overall) scored five straight points to take an early lead and later pulled away late after the Muskies closed within one. The Muskies later nearly rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the match against Elmhurst, taking the third and fourth sets and then leading 8-5 in the fifth set before the Bluejays scored seven of the next eight points to gain control and eventually hold off Lakeland.

Gay finished with 94 assists over the two matches, including 52 assists against Elmhurst. She topped 1,000 assists for her career in the match against the Bluejays, becoming the 13th in program history to reach the milestone, and the sophomore finished the day with 1,033 career assists.

Faith Baker (So.-Verona, Ill.) also added 18 kills on the day, including seven kills on 11 attacks against Ripon plus a career-high 11 kills against Elmhurst. The sophomore middle blocker also totaled seven blocks, including five block assists against Ripon as the Muskies finished with nine total blocks against the Red Hawks.

Caitlyn Pernsteiner (Jr.-Arpin, Wis.) made it four Lakeland attackers in double figures against Elmhurst with 11 kills plus four service aces. Gay added a team-high 14 digs against the Bluejays and D'Janae Gilley (Sr.-El Paso, Texas) added 11 digs. Rylee Esquibel (So.-Devine, Texas) also chipped in 10 digs and Kenzie Jackson (Fr.-Mansfield, Texas) finished with four block assists.

Blair Johnson finished with 18 kills to lead three players for Elmhurst with at least 14 kills in the second match. The Bluejays hit .310 for the match with 60 kills to 15 errors.

Lakeland goes back to Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference play for its next match Thursday when it travels to face St. Norbert College at 7 p.m. in De Pere.