SAULT STE. MARIE, Mich. - The Lake Superior State (LSSU) volleyball team (6-19, 3-11 GLIAC) fell to the Pride of Purdue Northwest (11-13, 6-7 GLIAC) by a final score of 3-1 on Saturday.

Both teams battled early in the opening set, but the Lakers were able to pull ahead with a 5-0 run that featured a kill from freshman Rachel Steele (Eaton Rapids, Mich.). The Pride were able to tie up the score as both teams continued to go back and forth throughout the set, but a 5-1 Laker run that saw kills from four different players had LSSU back up by four. Purdue Northwest was able to rally to get back within one, but true freshman Morgan Deming (Boyne City, Mich.) was there to put the set away as the Lakers claimed a 1-0 lead in the match. 

Both teams would again battle early on in the second set, but multiple Purdue Northwest runs allowed the Pride to pull ahead. The Lakers would try to rally late with Deming and Emily Kalinowski (South Lyon, Mich.) combining for multiple blocks, but it would not be enough as the Pride managed to take the second set to tie up the match at 1-1.

The Lakers got off to a quick start in the third set, using a 4-0 run to take a 5-2 lead, but the Pride responded with a run of their own to go up 6-5. The Lakers continued to battle, regaining and nursing a lead with small runs of 3-0 and 4-1 behind service aces from Maggie Morris (Schoolcraft, Mich.) and Sydney Briney (St. Joseph, Mich.). However, Purdue Northwest was able to settle in and ignite an 11-2 run to steal the set away, taking a 2-1 lead in the match.

The Pride got off to an early lead in the fourth set, but a kill from Valeriya Varnakova (Ufa, Russia) helped keep the Lakers within three. Purdue Northwest was able to pull ahead again, but LSSU again had an answer with a 5-1 run that featured a kill from Steele. However, the Pride were able to settle in and close out the set and the match by respective scores of 25-17 and 3-1.

Deming and Varnakova led the Lakers in kills with eight each. Meanwhile, Kalinowski finished with a 28-assist, 22-dig double-double to lead all players in both categories. Briney and Ally Lasley (Birch Run, Mich.) also finished with double-digit digs with 18 and 15, respectively. 

The Lakers will look to bounce back on Friday, Nov. 3 when they face the Wisconsin-Parkside Rangers in Bud Cooper Gymnasium with the first serve scheduled for 3 p.m.