PLYMOUTH, Wis. –
Samya Hughes (
So.-Wisconsin Rapids, Wis.) notched four of her 16 kills in the deciding set and the Lakeland University women's volleyball team edged Milwaukee School of Engineering in five tense sets Thursday night at the Moose & Dona Woltzen Gymnasium.
The Muskies rallied from an early deficit in the fifth set to prevail 15-25, 25-17, 25-19, 21-25, 15-10 in the Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference match. Lakeland won a five-set match for the first time in four tries this season and improved to 13-7 overall and 4-2 in conference. The Muskies also handed MSOE its first loss on the NACC loop, dropping the Raiders to 10-6 overall and 4-1 in league play.
Lakeland rebounded from a slow start to the match to control the second and third set, only to see MSOE score the final five sets of the fourth set to push the match to a final set. The Muskies then fell behind 4-1 early in the fifth set, but responded with an 8-2 run to gain the upper hand one more time.
Maleigha Kovalaske (
Jr.-Ripon, Wis.) delivered a service ace to put Lakeland ahead 6-5 in the fifth, and Hughes followed with a kill to move the lead to two.
Caitlyn Pernsteiner (
Sr.-Arpin, Wis.) then hammered home a kill after a beautiful back set by
Katie Westerholm (
Fr.-Prior Lake, Minn.), and Hughes produced kills for three of the Muskies' next four points, the last for a 12-8 lead.
Kovalaske added a kill to stretch the margin to five and forced the Raiders' final timeout, and a block by
Laura Pearson (
Jr.-San Diego, Calif.) and
Faith Baker (
Jr.-Verona, Ill.) got Lakeland to the doorstep at match point. MSOE scored the next two points to get within 14-10, but Kovalaske closed it out with a solo block to win.
Hughes, Kovalaske and
Emily R. Hansen (
Jr.-Mayville, Wis.) accounted for a large chunk of the Muskies' offense, combining for 46 kills. Kovalaske joined Hughes with 16 kills and Hansen added 14 kills, and Pernsteiner also added seven kills without an error in 12 attacks.
Lakeland finished hitting .176 with 59 kills and 26 errors in 188 attacks. The Muskies also finished with 11 blocks as a team, including Pearson with seven blocks (two solo, five assisted).
Ryan Figi (
Sr.-Hartland, Wis.) led the team with 23 digs and Kovalaske and
Rylee Esquibel (
Jr.-Devine, Texas) added 16 digs each.
Sydney Gay (
Jr.-Rice Lake, Wis.) finished with 31 assists and Westerholm added 18 assists.
Emma Schattschneider led MSOE with 14 kills and added 16 digs. The Raiders hit .110 as a team with 47 kills and 28 errors in 172 attacks.
The Muskies and Raiders played five sets for the third time in their last four meetings and fifth time in seven matchups. Lakeland is 3-2 in those matches, including winning the last three.
The Muskies are on the road Saturday, traveling to face Dominican University at noon in River Forest, Ill.
