HAMMOND, Ind. - The Lake Superior State volleyball team (2-18, 1-10 GLIAC) fell to the Panthers of Kentucky Wesleyan (5-15, 2-5 G-MAC) by a final score of 3-1 on Friday in their opening match of the Midwest Regional Crossover.
The Lakers started off strong as a pair of kills from Taylor Fleming (Rogers City, Mich.) gave them an early 8-4 lead in the opening set. The Panthers were able to get back within one, but the Lakers put their foot down with a 7-1 run that featured back-to-back kills from Emilee McDaniel (Manistique, Mich.) to pull back out ahead. The Panthers tried to rally late, but multiple 3-0 runs allowed the Lakers to claim the first set by a score of 25-16.
Kentucky Wesleyan were able to strike quickly in the second set with an early 7-0 run, but back-to-back kills from Fleming cut the lead back down to within two points. The Panthers pulled back ahead, but a kill from Sydney Briney (St. Joseph, Mich.) would once again bring the Lakers to within two. However, the Panthers were able to hold on to take the second set 25-21, tying the match at 1-1.
The Lakers started off fast in the third set with a pair of early 5-1 runs that featured four kills from Mariana Velasque (Rio de Janeiro, Brazil) to claim a 10-4 lead. However, the Panthers were able to rally with a pair of runs of their own to get back to within one. The Lakers would then assert themselves with a 4-1 run to take a 23-19 lead. However, the Panthers would rally, and they would steal the third set by the narrowest of margins by a score of 28-26.
Kentucky Wesleyan opened the fourth set with an early 6-0 run, but the Lakers fought back after three straight kills from Velasque. The Panthers were able to push their lead back out to four, but back-to-back service aces from Emily Hagelthorn (South Lyon, Mich.) brought the Lakers back to within a single point. However, after Lake State was able to fend off a pair of match-points, Kentucky Wesleyan held on to take the final set and the match by respective scores of 25-23 and 3-0.
Velasque led the way on offense with 16 kills while also picking up 10 digs for the double-double, and Fleming joined her with double-digit kills of her own. Emily Kalinowski (South Lyon, Mich.) led all players with 33 assists, and Hagelthorn led her team in digs with 13. Meanwhile, McDaniel made her presence felt on the defensive end with seven total blocks, two of which were solo.
The Lakers return to action on Saturday, Oct. 15 for day two of the Midwest Regional Crossover when they face William Jewell and Southwest Baptist with respective scheduled start times of 10 a.m. and 5:30 p.m.