LISLE, Ill. – A first set slip-up provided some drama early but the Lakeland University women's volleyball team came back to take the final three sets in the teams' Northern Athletics Collegiate Conference match Saturday afternoon.
The Muskies topped the Eagles 22-25, 25-16, 25-14, 25-17 to win their eighth straight match and improve to 18-7 overall. Lakeland also is now 9-2 in the NACC, and with that record has clinched a home match in the NACC Tournament quarterfinals as no worse than the tourney's No. 4 seed.
Benedictine (6-22 overall, 2-8 NACC) gave the Muskies a Halloween spook early on by surging late to steal the first set just when it appeared Lakeland had gained control. The Muskies put together a 5-1 run to take a 21-18 lead late in the set after a kill by
Rylee Esquibel (
Jr.-Devine, Texas), but the Eagles responded with a 7-1 run to close out the set, including a pair of service aces by Brooke Wisniewski and a pair of Lakeland attack errors paving the way for the hosts to take a 1-0 lead.
The Muskies began to take control of the match early in the second set, taking the lead for good in the set on a kill by
Maleigha Kovalaske (
Jr.-Ripon, Wis.) making it 11-10. Lakeland pulled away in the second set, controlled the third set and then finished strong in the final set, scoring 11 of the match's final 14 points.
The Muskies picked up their attack after the first set and finished hitting .176 with 52 kills and 23 errors in 165 attacks. Lakeland also slowed down Benedictine after a strong start, as the Eagles hit .200 (14 kills, six errors) in the opening set but just .008 the rest of the way to finish at .055 with 33 kills and 24 errors in 163 attempts.
Kovalaske and Esquibel both posted double-doubles, with Kovalaske finishing with 15 kills and 21 digs and Esquibel adding 10 kills plus a match-high 24 digs.
Emily R. Hansen (
Jr.-Mayville, Wis.) also finished with 10 kills and
Caitlyn Pernsteiner (
Sr.-Arpin, Wis.) added nine kills.
Sydney Gay (
Jr.-Rice Lake, Wis.) finished with 26 assists and
Emily J. Hansen (
Sr.-Kaukauna, Wis.) added 17 assists.
Ryan Figi (
Sr.-Hartland, Wis.) also posted 17 digs and
Faith Baker (
Jr.-Verona, Ill.) added six blocks (two solo, four assisted).
Lizzy Williams led Benedictine with 10 kills and added 16 digs. Wisniewski also posted 16 digs.
Lakeland steps out of conference for its next match when it faces the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater at 7 p.m. Wednesday in Whitewater.
