BOLIVAR, Mo. - The Lake Superior State University volleyball team (1-7) fell to the Missouri Western State Griffins (2-5) and the Drury Panthers (2-5) by respective scores of 3-0 in the final day of the Drury/SWB Invitational on Saturday.
Missouri Western State
Jordyn Haller (Sault Ste. Marie, Mich.) opened up the scoring in the opening match of the day, and the Lakers followed it up with a 4-0 run shortly after to take an early three-point advantage. Both teams would then trade points, but the Griffins were able to use an 8-0 run to pull ahead. The Lakers responded with a 6-0 run of their own to pull within one, but the Griffins held on to take the first set by a score of 25-21.
The Lakers would once again claim an early lead to open the second set behind a kill from Emilee McDaniel (Manistique, Mich.) and a service ace from Maggie Morris (Schoolcraft, Mich.). However, the Griffins would use a 7-1 run to pull ahead and take a 10-4 lead. The Laker were then able to answer with runs of 3-0 and 4-0 that featured kills from Taylor Fleming (Rogers City, Mich.) and Nina White (Chelsea, Mich.) to keep the set close, but the Griffins were able to hold on and claim the second set 25-19.
The third set would start off back and forth with Emily Kalinowski (South Lyon, Mich.) and Morris combining for a block that would give the Lakers an early 6-5 lead in the set. The Griffins were able to pull ahead with a 6-0 run, but the Lakers were able to push back and chip away at the lead with multiple kills from White to get back within two points. Missouri Western was able to extend their lead again with multiple 3-0 spurts of their own, but the Lakers came storming back with a pair of kills from Morris. However, it would not be enough as the Griffins held on to take the set 25-20 and the match 3-0.
Fleming and McDaniel were both able to notch double-digit kills in the match, and Kalinowski earned a double-double with 33 assists and 16 digs to lead all players in both categories.
Drury
The Lakers were able to start off strong in their second match of the day as back-to-back service aces from Sydney Briney (St. Joseph, Mich.) capped off an early 7-1 run to take a 7-2 lead. Both teams would then trade blows for several points before kills from Fleming and Morris helped their team to a 3-0 scoring burst that kept the Lakers up by five. The Lakers were able to press onward, and a kill from McDaniel put her team up 24-21. However, the Panthers were able to score four unanswered points to stay alive in the set, and they were able to claim the first set by a score of 28-26, despite a pair of kills from Fleming to fend off Drury set-point opportunities.
The second set started off back and forth with both teams inching to a 9-9 stalemate, but the Panthers were able to utilize a pair of 5-1 runs to pull ahead. After trading multiple points, the Lakers tried to rally with kills from McDaniel and Fleming, but Drury held on to take the second set 25-20.
The third set proved to be competitive early on as both teams always appeared to have an answer for each other, including multiple kills from McDaniel in response to Panther points. However, Drury was able to go on a 9-1 run to pull away and claim the third set and the match overall by respective scores of 25-15 and 3-0.
McDaniel and Fleming led the way with each notching double-digit kills. Meanwhile, Kalinowski and Ally Lasley (Birch Run, Mich.) led all players with 39 assists and 14 digs, respectively.
The Lakers return to action on Friday, Sept. 9 when they open up Great Lakes Intercollegiate Athletic Conference play against Saginaw Valley State for their home-opener in Bud Cooper Gymnasium with the first serve scheduled for 5 p.m.