MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – Samya Hughes (Fr.-Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) blew up for 21 kills against Grinnell (Iowa) College as part of another big night and the Lakeland University women's volleyball team won twice on the first day of the Augsburg University Invitational on Friday.

The Muskies swept the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse 25-22, 25-18, 25-22 in their first match of the tourney and then bounced back from a first set loss to defeat Grinnell 19-25, 25-19, 25-22, 25-23. Lakeland is now 4-3 overall and has already doubled its non-conference win total from all of last season, when the Muskies finished 2-14 in games outside of the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference schedule.

Hughes continued a red-hot start to her collegiate career with two of her most efficient hitting performances yet. The 5-foot-9 outside hitter posted a team-high 14 kills with a .323 hitting percentage against UW-La Crosse, and then delivered a season-best 21 kills and a .333 attacking mark against Grinnell. Hughes has posted at least 11 kills in all seven Lakeland matches so far and is hitting at a .264 clip while leading the NACC with 104 kills on the season.

The Muskies' night also included an impressive three-set sweep of UW-La Crosse (3-3 overall), keeping up their recent mastery of the Wisconsin Intercollegiate Athletic Conference program. Lakeland has won three straight over the Eagles dating back to 2018, and Friday night the Muskies hit .235 as a team, more than double UW-L's .112 hitting mark.

Caitlyn Pernsteiner (Jr.-Arpin, Wis.) returned for the first time this season and posted nine kills and a nice .412 hitting percentage and Maleigha Kovalaske (So.-Ripon, Wis.) added eight kills. Sydney Gay (So.-Rice Lake, Wis.) finished with 35 assists and Ryan Figi (Jr.-Hartland, Wis.) posted 12 digs.

Hughes and Rylee Esquibel (So.-Devine, Texas) both had big matches against Grinnell, with Hughes adding 14 digs to her 21 kills and Esquibel adding a career-high 17 kills plus 18 digs against the Pioneers (3-3 overall). Kovalaske also finished with nine kills and Faith Baker (So.-Verona, Ill.) posted seven kills plus five blocks (one solo, four assisted).

Lucero Velazquez (Sr.-Sheboygan, Wis.) also posted three service aces and Gay finished with a career-high 53 assists plus two aces. Lakeland hit a season-best .275 against Grinnell, with 62 kills to 21 errors in 149 attacks.

The Muskies continue at Augsburg with a pair of tough matches against Minnesota opponents on Saturday. Lakeland takes on Gustavus Adolphus College at 10 a.m. and then faces the host school Augsburg at 12:30 p.m.